Break yourself against my stones
by Sinmora
Summary: Set during season 2. Mary Margaret and David get sucked into the portal instead of Emma. Emma agrees to protect Regina from the citizens of Storybrooke as long as she agrees to help her get her parents back, and finds an unexpected friend and ally in the mayor. Will eventually be SQ. Rated M for sexual violence, torture, and eventually explicit consensual sex between two women.
1. Long Night

A/N: So, this fic was inspired by the song Snuff by Slipknot. It will be the underlying theme for the entire story as I imagined the entire thing in a split second in the middle of the song. If you haven't listened to it, I would suggest it. It's beautiful.

Also, if anyone feels inspired to make a video of Emma and Regina to that song, I'd be eternally grateful as it does not yet exist to my knowledge.

Enjoy!

(Annoyingly obvious disclaimer that applies to every single chapter about owning nothing and gaining no monetary benefit for my effort to amuse myself and others by providing some much needed SwanQueen feels.)

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Emma was dumbfounded. Mary Margaret and David had warned her of the dangers of messing with magic, but she allowed her naïve notion of being the Savior to dismiss their years of experience. Now, they were gone and still correct in their warning. Magic came with a price. She nearly laughed hysterically as she thought quite involuntarily that someone should make a drinking game for that phrase. They were gone, and it was her own fault. She'd lost her parents again, orphaned by her own actions.

Movement across the room caught her attention. Regina stood slowly, as unbelieving as her that Mary Margaret had just sacrificed herself to save the Evil Queen. Unshed tears shimmered in Regina's soulful eyes as she stared at the old dusty top hat. Despite her shock and loss, Emma's heart clenched for the damaged woman barely holding herself together. Regina was right. She wasn't evil, but bad things happened when she was around. She would certainly be blamed for intentionally pushing the Charmings into the portal, which more than likely would lead to their demise.

"Mom!" Henry squawked from the door. Ruby entered only a second behind him.

Regina flinched and wiped at her face, not daring to look at the boy. He'd never love her now. He'd blame her for his grandparents' disappearance. Emma moved first, somehow pulling from her stupor. She grabbed Henry before he reached Regina and dragged him from Town Hall by the scruff of his neck. Neither he nor Ruby saw Regina's face, her tears, her self-inflicted torture, and their presence would only do more harm than good. Ruby's forehead wrinkled in confusion but she followed without question.

"Ruby, I need a huge favor," Emma implored before she'd even made it out of the doors.

"Of course, Emma, anything," Ruby answered in typical Ruby fashion, always eager to be of use and desperate to prove that her life had worth.

"I need you to get Henry out of town. Not completely because we don't know what the border will do to those who were cursed, but somewhere safe," Emma pleaded as Henry struggled against her hold.

"Emma, I'm not leaving you alone with the Evil Qu…" he started.

"Enough!" Emma flinched at her deep, gravelly voice that sounded more like Regina's than hers. She was confused as all hell, but the one thing that was crystal clear was the fact that Regina hadn't been the Evil Queen in a very long time. She was only a broken woman.

"Henry," she softened her voice. "I know you're scared right now. I am, too, because I know a lot of people are thinking exactly what you are thinking right now. Regina is not the Evil Queen anymore, okay, Kid." She knelt in front of him, forcing him to hear her and see the truth in her eyes.

"But she… David and Mary Margaret?" He tried to make sense of what he'd seen.

"It was an accident, Henry," Emma's voice cracked as her emotions caught up with her.

"Look, Kid, I need you to go with Ruby. I'm going to help your mom, but I can't do that if I'm worrying about you all the time. There are some people who might try to use you to get to her. Do you understand?" He nodded but remained silent. "And I'm going to do everything I can to Mary Margaret and David back, but right now, I have to deal with a town that could turn into an angry riot at any moment. It's not going to be pretty, and I can't put you in harm's way."

"You can't trust her, Emma," Henry convinced himself of Regina's guilt and then sniffed.

"I have to, or this whole thing is going to blow up in my face. Look," she sighed in frustration. He was 11 years old; she didn't have to explain herself to her son. "Just go with Ruby, okay? Come back to town once a week to check in."

She tipped her head to look at the young waitress. Did Ruby seem exhausted? No, she looked haunted. Emma made a mental note to ask Ruby about her fairytale self when she had the luxury of time. Right now, they had an advantage because no one else knew about the portal and the loss of their prince and princess. Emma had time to formulate a plan for once instead of simply reacting to what had been thrown at her from the catapult of life.

"Ruby… I… Henry, go wait in Ruby's car." She wrapped her arms around Henry's small frame and hugged him tightly, fighting the tears that so desperately needed to fall. He squeezed her back and then sluggishly obeyed her command.

"Emma," Ruby whispered, unsure what to do with her hands as she fidgeted and coiled with tension.

"Ruby, it's going to get really bad, isn't it?" Emma didn't need an answer.

"Are you going to get her back?" Ruby finally asked, her own fears pulling to the surface now that Henry was out of sight. Mary Margaret was one of her closest friends, and now that Ruby had recovered her memories of the Enchanted Forest, Emma watched deeper veins of pain and love trace Ruby's face. Ruby was in love with her mother. Emma jerked at the realization but shook off her shock quickly. They needed to move.

"I'm going to try, but I know that I need Regina to do it. It really was an accident, Ruby." She squeezed the young girl's shoulder. Ruby's face lifted towards the ceiling as she fought tears.

"I'll keep him safe, Emma. He's family," Ruby declared bravely, back stiffening as her sense of duty and honor returned to her, as though anyone would contradict Snow's right hand. Her eyes hardened with the realization of her task of protecting Snow's grandson, and Emma inhaled sharply at the transformation.

"I know you will, Ruby. Thank you. I can't trust anyone else right now," Emma admitted quietly. Ruby nodded, hugged her quickly and then marched out the door.

Emma watched her leave, amazed at the unwavering loyalty she commanded simply by being Snow White's daughter. If she'd just been Emma, orphan and small town sheriff, would she have been granted the same? Emma shook off the thought as soft taps clicked towards her from the next room.

"So, you're going to keep me alive long enough to save your idiot parents," Regina stated as violet flared in her eyes.

"Regina, I'm tired," Emma admitted softly and shoved her hands in her front pockets. She had nothing left to offer the fight that would surely transpire if she justified Regina's indignity and self-deprecation with a retort. "Come on."

Emma didn't bother looking to see if Regina followed. Her stilettos tapped smartly behind her, and even if they didn't, Emma knew that Regina would have followed anyway. She was scared, even if she hid it behind her bravado and magical flare. Emma saw it when she first put Regina behind bars and again when she was attacked by the wraith the first time. She saw more than fear only minutes ago when she thought Emma would immediately retaliate and accuse her of intentionally pushing her parents into the portal.

They walked for an entire block before Regina spoke again.

"Emma?" The sheriff failed to respond. "Sheriff Swan?" Regina tried again, a hard edge in her voice.

"What?" Emma whirled in her and glared. She had nothing left to give. Couldn't this infuriating woman see that or was her plan to break her right here and now? She could if she'd wanted to. Emma probably wouldn't have even fought her. Regina winced, and Emma immediately felt guilt creep into her stomach.

"I… was just going to ask if you could slow down. I assume I am going back to that filthy hovel of a jail?" She sniffed and held her head higher at the indignity of the thought of spending another night in that place.

Emma rolled her eyes and cocked her hip to the side as her hands settled on her waist.

"Got a better idea, Your Majesty?" Emma tossed carelessly at the former royal.

"A few, but none that end in your favor, Miss Swan," Regina lobbed at her immediately, but it lacked her usual bite and sounded desperate rather than threatening. Regina must have heard the lack of icy chill in the statement because she straightened immediately and sniffed, gathering the remnants of her emotional walls.

"Regina, please," Emma's bravado deflated as her own emotions threatened to overwhelm her again.

"What, Savior? Can you possibly be deluded enough to believe that I would assist you in any way?" Emma's jaws clenched at Regina's harsh tone.

"Fine!" Emma rallied, turning her pain into an anger that would burn brightly until she could breathe again.

She grabbed her cuffs from her belt pouch and slapped one around Regina's wrist before the former royal reacted to the unexpected action. She struggled against the restraints but ultimately knew that she posed no physical threat to the much more robust sheriff. A moment of panic slipped into her chest when she realized that her magic wasn't obeying her commands. She felt it roiling beneath the surface, begging to be released but refusing to listen to her instruction. A whimper escaped her lips when the cold steel cut into both of her wrists.

"If you won't help me, then I'll leave you to the angry mob while I save my parents," Emma hissed into her ear as she jerked her head back with a tight fist in dark brown locks.

"Em…ma," her name slipped through Regina's lips in a strangled plea.

Emma froze momentarily as the disgust and guilt of her loss of control pulled through her chest and stomach in an angry wave. She swallowed roughly and then released Regina's hair. A small crowd had gathered on the other side of the street, a few dwarfs and Dr. Hopper included. Emma clenched her jaw in frustration. Why couldn't they just stay out of everyone else's business? She hated small towns for this exact reason.

"Regina, I'm sorry," she whispered and then nudged the mayor forward. Regina understood her silent plea to not argue or make a scene and begrudgingly took a few steps forward.

"Take them off, Emma," Regina's voice stayed low enough to remain silent to those watching, but Emma recognized the growing panic in her tone.

"I will, I promise, just not yet," She gripped the small chain between the cuffs as they slowly inched away from the prying eyes of the citizens of Storybrooke, curse victims of the Enchanted Forest.

Regina released a shaky breath, trying to trust the birthmother of her child. Emma felt the violent tremors in Regina's hands and hesitantly brushed her thumb over her knuckles. Regina sighed, so she repeated the gentle soothing motion and surprised both of them when they calmed marginally by the small show of support and compassion. By the time they reached the sheriff's station, Emma was boldly gripping the hand of her nemesis in her own in an odd sort of handshake that was more intimate than anything they'd ever shared with each other.

"Just another minute, Regina," Emma whispered, acutely aware of the gathering crowd now openly following them to the sheriff's station and also of Regina's worsening limp. Had she injured herself during the wraith attack?

Emma practically shoved her inside the door. She let go of her hand, immediately disappointed with the lack of contact and made a show of locking the front door from the inside and then slipping a broom handle into the handles for good measure. The crowd erupted, some cheering and others calling for blood. She was honestly surprised that they'd remained quiet this long, but perhaps they feared Regina's power had returned and only found their bravado once she was tucked out of sight.

"Regina," Emma whispered as warning and then grabbed the chain between the two cuffs again. It took another moment to fish the keys from her pocket and slide them into the small hole.

The crowd increased in volume, and Emma sighed. Regina was right; her parents were idiots. They blindly followed each other to hell and back and hoped their kingdom remained intact in the interim. Regina had done some awful things, but she'd never abandoned her people to follow a whimsical fantasy such as true love. Emma stalled at the thought, long enough that Regina turned the key herself and released her hands. She whipped around in a dramatic fashion that only Regina could manage and pinned Emma with her eyes.

They were completely black in the darkness of the unlit hallway, but somehow Emma felt they were still so very full of emotion. Regina waved her hand and opened her mouth as though she may speak, but the notion retreated as quickly as it came. She simply turned and limped towards the main room with the two small cells. Emma followed, unsure of what else to do. It was going to be a long night.


	2. Call Granny

And Chapter 2 for you. The rest needs more editing. I'm hoping to do at least a chapter every other day as this story doesn't require that I follow closely with the canon storyline unlike my other stories.

Slight violence in this chapter, nothing graphic.

Reviews and suggestions are always appreciated. Enjoy, My Doves!

Regina sat the cuffs gently onto the deputy's desk and then went straight to the cell that hadn't been damaged by the wraith and sat primly on the edge of the bed. Her tightened face muscles told Emma that the older woman was in pain, and the sheriff followed her into the cell and knelt in front of her. Regina stiffened but said nothing as Emma visually inspected the tear in her black slacks.

"I only need a first aid kit, Miss Swan. Nothing more," Regina said suddenly and tensed when Emma raised her hand to move the fabric aside.

Emma nodded and scampered off to grab the large kit on the wall. She placed it on the bed and then left the cell again to fetch Regina something to change into so that she could tend to her wound more easily. She wrinkled her nose when she realized that the only thing she had were her work out clothes. Regina would scowl and toss a hissy fit, but she'd get over it or sleep with no pants. Emma smiled at that thought, and then berated herself as she changed into her own shorts and ratty t-shirt and lugged her body back towards the cells. That woman had been demeaned enough, and being forced to sleep exposed would only destroy their tenuous truce.

"Regina, I'll go get you some clothes tomorrow, I promise, but could please just…" Emma's words were lost when she reentered the room to find the prim and proper Mayor Mills, Former Evil Queen in nothing but her underwear and the black camisole that she'd worn under her blazer for the past two days.

Her black suit lay in a heap of designer rumple in the corner of the cell along with her boots, making her a good four inches shorter than usual, if not more. She fixed Emma with a glare, momentarily surprised at the invasion and then returned her eyes to her thigh. Dark locks fell across her face, and Emma couldn't help but notice how striking the motion was. She had called Regina many things, to her face and under her breath, but she'd never even thought the word ugly, at least not where her physicality was concerned.

"Do you need help?" Emma cleared her throat when the question strained against her anxiety and surprise by the mayor's bold actions.

"Yes," the reply was so soft that Emma question whether or not it was actually spoken or if she'd imagined it.

When Emma didn't move, Regina glare at her again and then flicked her eyes to her leg as if to say 'Why the hell are so thick?' It inspired Emma to spring forward into the cell. She tossed the clothes onto the bed and then knelt in front of Regina. It was insanely awkward for both women. Regina stared at the wall and Emma stared only the gashes on Regina's thigh. The one on top had nearly stopped bleeding; only a small trickle leaked onto the creamy flesh at random intervals. The one on the bottom of Regina's thigh, however, gushed and spurted, the trickle nearly reaching Regina's ankle before Emma could cover it with a piece of used gauze.

"Regina, this one is really bad," Emma said needlessly and more to herself than the woman standing over her.

"You needn't inform me of the severity, Miss Swan. I've felt it leaking into my shoe since we began our journey," Regina snapped.

Emma snorted and ignored her, feeling some of their comfortable volley of words return.

"I'm going to tape a bunch of gauze on it and take care of this one first, okay?" Emma caught her eyes, taking her silence as enough confirmation to proceed. She wadded a bunch of gauze pads onto the larger gash on the back of Regina's leg and taped them tightly.

"This would be easier if you'd sit down." Emma gestured towards the bed, wondering just how much Regina would tolerate before lashing out again. To Emma's surprise and relief, the mayor simply did as suggested. Her pain was far greater than she let on, and Emma smiled at her stoicism, knowing if the situation were reversed she'd be reacting the same exact way.

Regina said nothing as Emma carefully cleaned the smaller gash with apt attention. She was grateful, even if she'd never say it. If her wounds became infected, she'd die from it before the hospital offered her any assistance. Emma seemed to understand the importance as well; either that or she simply threw herself at the task so that she wouldn't have to think about the events that transpired not even an hour ago. Emma slathered the antibacterial gel onto the gauze pad, probably more than was needed, and then pressed it gently to Regina's thigh.

"If you'd told me you were hurt, I wouldn't have made you walk all the way here," Emma said suddenly. Irritation laced her voice, and Regina mentally prepared herself for the word spar she sensed coming. If she were honest with herself, she hadn't the energy required for such a task at the moment, but she refused Emma Swan the satisfaction of getting one up on her, especially since she was willingly allowing Emma to care for her injuries.

"I am not a charity case, Sheriff," Regina bit. "I neither desire nor deserve more than what you have already done."

"Just… shut up," Emma commanded, and to the surprise of both, Regina actually clamped her mouth shut with an audible click of her teeth. Smug, Emma pressed her luck one more time. "Now, lay on your stomach so I can get this over with. I'm not your damn nursemaid."

Regina complied easily enough, but once she'd settled herself onto the bed, she finally retaliated. "A nursemaid, typically, is referred to when one is speaking about children. The term is that of a glorified nanny, Miss Swan, something akin to what you've been to Henry for the past year. The proper term you are fumbling for would be attendant or healer."

Regina gasped and clutched the rough blanket in her hands when a stinging pang shot through her leg and settled in a slow burn on her thigh. Emma smirked and recapped the rubbing alcohol. Regina hissed again, and guilt pooled in the pit of Emma's stomach. She unconsciously gripped Regina's toned calf and pulled herself forward. She blew gently on the wound, watching the tension slowly leave Regina's body. It was a dirty move to shut the mayor up, but it had worked.

She dabbed and pressed on the gash, but the bleeding only slowed slightly. Emma blew hair from her face, mildly disconcerted that Regina's blood was all over her hands. She spared a glance up Regina's back, but the woman's face was turned away from her. Her ridged back and shoulder muscles, though, told Emma how much pain her nemesis was in, and it wasn't as satisfying as Emma had imagined. She wanted to make it go away, to take it away.

She jerked suddenly with the thought, and Regina hissed.

"Miss Swan, are you quite finished?" The mayor grumbled through clenched teeth, finally turning to look at the sheriff.

Her blonde hair stuck to her slightly sweaty forehead, face ashen. She stared at her hands, stained red with Regina's blood. The former evil queen almost felt sorry for the poor idiot spawn, almost. Her lips pulled into a sneer as she thought about what Snow White would say if she could see her darling daughter now, tending her wounds with the compassion of a lover. It fell only moments later when Emma's painfully confused eyes met hers.

"If you are going hurl, please kindly do it somewhere other than my cage," Regina's words were snippy, but her tone was gentle, much to her irritation. What did she care if Emma was uncomfortable? Because Emma Swan was the only thing standing between her and an angry lynch mob and whatever other magical beings they may conjure here to murder her… at least until her magic is fully restored.

"I can't get it to stop. It needs stitches, and I think there is something stuck in it. How the hell did you walk here with this?" Emma wondered out loud, but Regina felt the sheriff talked to herself more than to her.

"I've had much experience enduring pain," she confided quietly, hoping Emma was too engrossed with the blood on her hands to hear her.

Emma's bright green eyes snapped to hers again at the hushed confession. Ever since she she'd saved Regina from the wraith, the woman was being uncharacteristically honest with her, like she'd been bursting to tell her secrets to someone. Now that the cat was out of the bag, she had no reason left to hide them, and they were brewing and brimming the surface of her high thick walls.

"Call Granny," Regina blurted. At Emma's wrinkled brow and narrowed eyes, she sighed. "Her granddaughter is a werewolf. She will have local anesthetic and a suture kit."

"What makes you think she'd help?" Emma asked, keeping her tone as casual as possible. Now that she'd gotten Regina to crack the thick curtains on her heart, she feared they would slam shut before she had a chance to climb in the window. She leaned forward again and pressed another piece of gauze onto the wound, eyes focused forward. Perhaps if she averted her eyes, Regina wouldn't feel as uncomfortable… well, anymore than lying half naked in a public place with your sworn enemy holding your blood in your body with her bare hands.

"We've always had a soft spot for each other," Regina affirmed noncommittally. "She'll help."

Emma nodded in acknowledgement, saving the information for a later date, along with Regina's aversion to handcuffs, her lack of embarrassment for being half naked in front of her and her tolerance for pain. She pressed the now red pad down with the side of her hand and fumbled with the tape. After several strips, she managed to get it to partially stick.

"I'll be right back. Don't move, okay," Emma quietly instructed, and Regina settled her head back onto the pillow as if to say she'd behave in Emma's absence.

Emma scurried to the bathroom and washed her hands hastily. She'd never been squeamish about blood before, but seeing Regina's blood made her want to throw up. Regina didn't need anymore pain in her life, and this red sticky substance was only proof of the fact that she currently felt quite a bit, physically if not emotionally. Once she was satisfied that none would transfer to her phone, she jerked it out her pocket and called Granny. The woman was hesitant at first, but once Emma confided that Regina had asked for her personally, she agreed with a deep sigh.

Emma hung up as stepped into the light of the small office. Regina had obediently remained still but looked up expectantly when she heard the sheriff shuffling behind her. The fact that Regina was being so cooperative shook Emma to her core. Was she simply waiting for her magic to recharge before she killed her? Was it all a rouse or did Regina genuinely want a friend right now?

"She's on her way," Emma confirmed and then dug in the first aid kit for some gloves. She snapped them in place and then ripped open a fresh gauze pad. She didn't bother removing the one that was already soaked or the tape; they'd both peel away easily enough.

"So, we, uhh, we made magic together," Emma stuttered, careful to keep her gaze on her hands.

"Don't," Regina commanded, her hardened edge slipping back into her voice.

"I'm just trying to understand what happened tonight," Emma continued, undeterred by Regina's antics. "I mean, that was… what the hell was that?"

"How should I know? The hat was activated when you put your unseemly hands on me. What did you do?" Regina accused, hoping to thwart any other questions.

"I didn't do anything!" Emma squawked indignantly. "I thought you were the be all end all of magical power. You were the Evil Queen for God's sake. I didn't think touching you would make a difference. I don't know how magic works!"

"Clearly," agreed Regina but offered nothing else.

"Look, I have less than 24 hours of experience with this crap, and you've had what, 50 years at least. If _we _are going to work together, _you_ need to help me with this crap." Emma's tight grip on her emotions slipped, and she pressed roughly into Regina's open wound.

Regina ground her teeth until her lips resembled something of a sneer. Apparently, pain was a fantastic motivator for the Evil Queen.

"Which means if you want to see Mommy and Daddy again, I suggest you think carefully on how much you piss me off!" It seemed Regina's control wore thin as well as her spiteful words hit home squarely in Emma Swan's chest.

"Just don't," she answered quietly, her low voice warning Regina that she barely held by a thread.

Emma squeezed her eyes shut in a valiant attempt to gain control. It failed, and she squeezed Regina's leg tighter. The woman beneath her hands squirmed as the object lodged within her leg bit and tore her muscles and ligaments with the heightened pressure. Her hand flung wildly towards Emma, nails catching her neck. Emma jerked away from Regina and fell onto her butt, hands ensuring that her jugular remained intact. They stared hard at each other until Regina's vision blurred with the betrayal of tears.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't know I was pushing that hard," Emma apologize quickly and ripped her bloody gloves from her hands.

Now that they were free and wouldn't make a mess, she wasn't sure what to do with them, so they fell limply onto the linoleum beside her. What had she expected to do? Hug Regina? Rub her back until Granny got here with the anesthetic and whisper soothing words in her ear like she would Henry? She hadn't a clue about how to comfort someone; she couldn't even comfort herself. And why was she suddenly so keen to cause Regina physical pain? Did she just want to see how far she could push the former queen before she broke or was this making up for all the times she'd wanted to cause Regina pain but couldn't because of Henry? Henry wasn't here right now, and he'd never believe Regina. Is that why she'd sent him away.

Luckily, she didn't have to find the answers. Granny trudged into the station with her crossbow and a bag slung over her shoulder. She sat the crossbow on the desk along side the discarded handcuffs and planted her free hand on her hip. How long had Emma been sitting on the floor?

"You put that girl in cuffs?" She barked in her hard, gruffly voice, and Emma squirmed on the floor.

"Uhh, temporarily." Emma's mouth hung open at the tenderness in Granny's eyes, and she'd gotten away with calling Regina a girl.

Anyone else would have been met with a death glare with the promise of follow-thru. Emma once again spared a thought for what connection Granny could possibly have with Regina but dared not ask. She simply moved to the side and allowed Granny to work. She mumbled to herself as she cleaned the wound and dug out the shards of wood still deeply imbedded. Emma glanced between her and the back of Regina's head like a tennis match. What in the hell was happening in her town?

"Almost done, Girl," cooed Granny as she prepared some thick thread and a needle. "It ain't gonna be pretty,, but it will keep you from bleeding to death." She chuckled and then set to her task.

Regina said nothing, but the muscles in her back and shoulders had relaxed. If it weren't for the occasional snort or hum of agreement at Granny's ongoing commentary, Emma would have believed her to be asleep. Finally, the last stitch was in place, and Granny stood. She eyed Emma wearily as she prepared a gauze pad to cover the wound. How had she never seen it before? Granny love Regina. Not like a friend or a mayor, but perhaps maybe…like a daughter? Emma jumped when Granny's busty form suddenly filled her vision only inches from her face.

"You take care of that girl. She's fragile," Granny warned.

"Regina Mills is anything but fragile. She doesn't need me to take care of her." Emma retorted and crossed her arms self-consciously.

Granny glanced over her shoulder and then roughly pushed Emma towards the back entrance where she'd bypassed the crowd still hollering out front. Emma sighed and walked with the elder woman to the door. Clearly, she had more to say, but Emma just wanted to go to sleep. Regina Mills was a puzzle best left for a fresh mind.

"You take care of her," repeated Granny. "You may not think she needs it, but she does. She's like a river, that one." She jerked her head back towards the main office. "When all is calm, her water is smooth but it's deep. When her dam gates open, whoosh! You bet that pretty little ass of yours is going to get bounced off some rocks, probably your head, too."

Granny nodded her head as if what she'd said made perfect sense and disappeared into the night. What the hell just happened?


	3. I'm Your Savior

Hello lovelies! Thank you for the follows and comments. I think I have a handle on the characters now. I do hope you enjoy, my doves! Let me know what you think.

Songs: Monster You Made Me by Pop Evil, Private Parts by Halestorm

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Emma stared out the window from her small cot in front of Regina's cell door. She'd shivered when she'd locked the woman inside the bars but saw no other option. She ascertained that Regina would undoubtedly try and escape if allowed, so Emma begrudgingly locked the door and then dragged the bed from the ruined cell in front of the bars. If she wished it, Regina could reach through the bars and strangle her while she slept, but she wanted to put herself between her charge and anyone brazen enough to slip in during the night to try and harm the Evil Queen.

After a half-hearted protestation, Regina finally settled down and went to sleep. Her breathing had evened out some time ago, but Emma's mind refused her the same luxury, opting for torture as it replayed the events of the evening over and over in her mind. Tears sprung up and leaked onto her cheeks, and she allowed them to fall silently. If she acknowledged them, then she'd be forced to acknowledge the emotion behind them. She'd been abandoned again.

A soft whimper called her to attention. Her eyes rolled from the window and towards the woman behind the bars. Regina shuddered and clutched the scratchy brown blanket in a tight-knuckled fist. Emma sat up silently and watched the emotions playing across the beautifully haunted features of the mayor. How many times had she simply desired to watch the emotions playing across Regina's features? The woman was as stunning as she was bitchy.

When Regina mumbled something beneath her breath, Emma pressed her hands into the hard mattress and forced herself not to wake her prisoner. She knew Regina's dream wasn't pleasant, but she also realized that rousing Regina in such a state could get her roasted if her magic had a sudden burst of energy. She dropped her face to her hands as the tears spilled over her cheeks again. Some savior she'd turned out to be. She looked up again at Regina's harsh gasp.

Regina's dark hair stuck against her sweaty forehead, and her dark eyes searched the sheriff's face. Emma tensed as she expected some sort of rebuke about watching the mayor sleep, but none came. Regina only studied her tear-streaked face curiously as she worked to control her erratic breathing and then slowly settled herself back against the pillow once she took a few deep breaths. Emma waited, expecting the mayor to say something, but she only stared at her with those black eyes through the darkness.

"You should change my bandages," a small voice filled the silence.

Emma nodded. _Take care of her. _Granny's warning bounced through her mind, and she used it as inspiration to move from the cot despite her exhaustion. It was Regina's way of asking for comfort; it was safe. Emma unlocked the door as Regina sat up and hiked the baggy shorts up her thigh. The sheriff swallowed roughly and then dropped to the floor in front of her. She nearly laughed at the absurdity of the situation. She and Regina Mills were an unlikely pair, but perhaps they were both damaged enough to understand each other.

Regina's skin was hot beneath Emma's cool fingers, and she worried for a moment if it was a sign of infection. Regina gasped softly.

"Your hands are cold," she explained and then very unexpectedly grabbed Emma's hand, holding it between her own and rubbing gently.

Emma fought the urge to pull away from the terrifying intimacy of the gesture. She knew Regina sought comfort and needed an excuse to touch her, but the way it made her feel took her completely by surprise. She needed comfort, too. Despite their differences, she and Regina knew they'd always be connected through their love for Henry. Emma assumed it was this knowledge that allowed them to lean on each other for support now, like real parents.

Regina released her hand, deeming it warm enough to touch her leg again, so Emma resumed removing the gauze and tape and swallowed the disappointment that the loss of contact inspired. Her attention focused solely on the skin beneath her fingers. She'd never realized before how toned Regina's body was despite her years behind a desk and self-proclaimed loathing of exercise. The curse must have preserved her body the way it had been in the Enchanted Forest.

Emma glanced up to find Regina watching her intently. She almost wished that she would yell at her, throw a hissy fit of some kind, but Regina sat calmly, silently. A hissy fit she knew how to handle, but Regina's silent acquiescence was another thing entirely. Emma again shivered at the implications of that silence. It could have meant anything. Perhaps Regina plotted her murder or maybe she simply wanted to be taken care of.

"Thank you," Regina said suddenly. Emma swallowed again and attached the fresh gauze onto the cut.

"For what?" Emma didn't want to know. She wanted Regina to hate her, to give her motivation to blame her for her parents' situation. She was the Evil Queen after all. If she hadn't cast the curse, then she'd never have been separated from her parents in the first place.

"I heard what you said to Henry," Regina answered as if it explained everything. Her voice caught in the strangled sob that threatened to climb up her throat, but she continued anyway. "You're right. I'm not the Evil Queen anymore."

Emma studied the sincerity in Regina's dark eyes. "I'm not," she repeated, more for her own benefit than to convince Emma.

"I know," Emma conceded. "You're still a bitch, though." She winked and hoped her voice carried the light tone she'd intended. Regina snorted and shook her head, a hint of a smile pulling her lips upward.

Emma squeezed Regina's thigh one more time and then removed herself from the cell. She hadn't bothered with the gash Granny stitched earlier because Regina needed human contact, not fresh bandages. She'd somehow managed to make the woman smile. They settled onto their cots, Regina safely locked away again and Emma on the outside between her and the world. Emma turned onto her side so that she could observe the woman in the cell, her supposed sworn enemy. It was the first time she'd seen Regina as a woman rather than a threat, and the cacophony of emotions that resounded from that realization tore through Emma's skull.

Regina must have felt it, too. Her face was tight, eyes searching and confused, despite her relaxed posture. She bent her arm behind her head and studied Emma, allowed Emma to study her. It was odd and awkward and comforting at the same time. Eventually, Regina drifted back into the world of dreams, and Emma followed soon after with dark brown hair on a pale face the last sight her mind registered.

"Sheriff Swan," a voice pulled through Emma's sleeping mind, followed by a sharp poke to her shoulder.

"MMM," Emma protested and rolled away from the disturbance.

Something shuffled behind her and then hit her on the head. It was soft but firm and Emma jerked straight onto her feet, hand slapping her hip for her service weapon out of instinct. She glared at a smirking Regina and then relaxed. Her hair pulled gently at her scalp as it waved around, and she patted it furiously, not amused by Regina's antics to awaken her.

"A pillow, really?" Emma groused. Regina's smirk grew.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Regina stated simply as though it completely justified her actions. She raised an eyebrow at Emma's wild hair but said nothing more as the sheriff collected herself and then fumbled for the keys to the cell.

"Aren't you going to escort me, Sheriff Swan?" Regina teased, only half joking.

"If you leave the building, I'll shoot your other leg," Emma deadpanned as the door swung open and then face planted into the cot again. The sun wasn't even up yet, so why the hell should she be?

She awoke again, hours later if the bright sun outside the window indicated anything. Crap, had she really allowed Regina free reign of the station while she slept? She sat abruptly and jerked on her boots. Surely the mayor had skipped town by now. How could she have been so stupid?

"I had wondered if you'd miss morning altogether," a deep raspy voice commented casually.

Emma whirled in place and found Regina sitting calmly on the cot in the cell. The door had been lock and the keys tossed to her desk from the inside. Regina marked the page of the book in her lap and then closed it gently as she waited for Emma to collect herself. The sheriff slumped onto the cot again and rested her elbows on her knees. Regina certainly never stopped surprising her, when she was being evil and apparently when she was good, too.

"I need coffee," Emma whispered to herself and rubbed the back of her neck. She raised her eyes to find Regina observing her intently; it unnerved her.

"Where'd you find that?" Emma jutted her chin towards the book.

"I took it from the shelf in your office. I hope you don't mind." Regina spread her hand over the hard cover reverently, and Emma sighed. How could she be angry when Regina clearly valued the written word very deeply?

"S'okay," Emma responded with a shrugged and then stood and stretched her arms towards the ceiling. Regina watched the muscles in Emma's arms ripple and flex as their mistress worked out the kinks and stiffness in her body.

"I wasn't aware you were a fan of classic literature," Regina commented casually. "Or that you could read at all," she added flippantly at the last possible second. Emma glared but refrained from taking the bait being thrown at her.

"Want to go to Granny's with me?" Emma asked instead. "I need coffee."

"Dressed in these impoverished threads? I think not, Sheriff," Regina responded with a sniff and straightening of her spine.

"Fine. Your house and then Granny's." Emma nodded, satisfied with her plan and unlocked the cell door.

Regina followed silently. The cold tile bit at her bare feet, but she ignored them and the ache in her thigh, unwilling to give Emma anything more to use against her. Emma released a sigh when she peaked through the windows at the front of the station and found it clear of any protestors. Apparently, even the disenfranchised had to sleep and eat. She held her hand up, signaling Regina to stay put and then slipped into the warm sun. A moment later, she reappeared with her cruiser on the sidewalk as close to the door as she could get and then beckoned the mayor.

* * *

Regina had crossed the foyer and had a bare foot on the stairs before Emma closed the door to the mansion. The dark woman paused and glanced toward Emma. The tension between them was palpable but not uncomfortable, not since their little staring match last night. Regina had given Emma an opening, and she desperately wanted to retain that advantage so instead of take the bait of Regina's barbs and slanders, she quietly waited for her to settle down again. She waited for Regina to speak.

"If you care to shower, Sheriff, you may use the one next to Henry's room," she offered with graciousness that only royalty could master.

"Thanks, but I'll wait until we get to Mary Margaret's apartment. I don't have anything to change into." Emma glanced down at her baggy t-shirt and basketball shorts.

"Very well. You know where the kitchen is. Indulge yourself in as much caffeine as you'd like." Emma opened her mouth to respond, but Regina had already limped up half of the staircase.

Emma watched her struggle for another moment and then turned her feet towards the kitchen. This was much better than the glares and threats they would surely receive the moment they entered Granny's. It took her several minutes to locate all of the items required for coffee, but by the time Regina returned to the bottom floor of her mansion, Emma proudly extended a steaming cup of java.

Regina accepted the cup gratefully and then retreated to her study. She'd changed into a silvery-blue silk dress shirt and black slacks but opted for flat but no-less-stylish boots. Emma knew that she'd need another gauze pad on her cuts but allowed the uncharacteristically cooperative woman some time to simply enjoy the feeling of being clean and well-dressed and safe in the security of her own home. She refilled her cup and then followed Regina to the study.

She was curled into the arm of one of the plush sofas, coffee poised on her knee and balanced by one hand while the other cradled her head. Droplets from her wet hair splashed against her silk shirt, but she either failed to notice or didn't care in this moment. Emma plopped ungracefully onto the sofa on the other side of the table and sipped her coffee. It felt nice to simply sit in silence with another human being. Regina expected nothing from her. There was no talk of savior nonsense or expectations or pressure to suddenly know how to be a daughter to two fairytale characters. They were just two women with too much pain taking comfort in the presence of another tortured soul. Emma sighed.

"I don't know how to get them back," Regina said suddenly and then sat straighter as she sipped her coffee.

"What about the hat? Can we try and make it work again?" Emma asked hopefully. It was rare that Regina admitted her own shortcomings, and it must be cruel that she'd beaten herself up over her inability to rescue her sworn enemy.

"We could try, but it was damaged by the wraith, not mentioning we haven't a clue as to which realm, if any, they managed to enter." Regina explained, her eyes still devoid of any emotion aside from the haunting emptiness of grief.

"If any? What do you mean?" Emma perked immediately.

"It means, Miss Swan, that I am uncertain if the Enchanted Forest actually exists anymore. The land itself should have remained intact, but the curse tore apart everything in its path. Not even I could have imagined the destruction it caused. I watched the idiots' palace deteriorate around me just before I awoke in Storybrooke." Regina's lips peeled back into a sneer before she caught Emma's look of disbelief and raised her coffee to her lips.

Regina regained some of her ice, but Emma ignored it. She refused to retaliate with a few insults of her own and ground her teeth with the effort. She scratched her forehead, unsure of how long she could refrain from responding before Regina caught onto what she was doing. She only needed a hint of a reason to shut Emma out once more, and the sheriff's valiant and noble cause to figure her out emotionally, as a person, would certainly be reason enough.

"What about Gold? Think he might have something that could help us navigate the portal?" Emma asked hopefully.

"If you are willing to make a deal, perhaps." Regina considered the suggestion with more than a bit of apprehension, and Emma dismissed the idea. Dealing with Gold was far worse than dealing with Regina.

Emma's phone rang into the silence of the study, and both women stared at Emma's pocket as if she'd spontaneously sprouted an extra limb. She slipped her hand easily into the shorts and checked the caller I.D. Granny. Why would Granny call the sheriff's phone and not her private line?

"Sheriff Swan," she never bothered to hide the confusion in her voice.

"Shit, okay. Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." Emma ended the call and raised her eyes to Regina.

"There's something going on in town square. I need to get down there." She explained quickly as she stood. She grimaced at her clothes and then turned towards the kitchen. Regina followed with uneven thuds against the hardwood.

"Emma, you may change into something of mine if you'd wish." Regina offered from the door of the kitchen.

"You sure? I'd probably ruin them." Emma poked fun at herself.

"Well, you haven't destroyed that hideous red jacket your wear daily, so I'll take my chances," Regina's eyes twinkled at the gentle barbing, and Emma gave in.

"Fine. I'll go grab something." Emma conceded and then bolted from the kitchen.

Regina sighed at the dirty coffee cup on the counter and hobbled to the sink. She rinsed both cups, dried them and was closing the cabinet door as Emma returned. She still wore her black boots, but everything else screamed Regina. Emma had chosen a silk emerald dress shirt and a pair of dark denim designer jeans that Regina had forgotten was in the back of her closet. Her gun hung comfortably at her hip.

Emma chuckled self-consciously under the scrutiny and ran her hands over the smooth fabric.

"Do I look dumb?" She asked shyly, waiting for Regina's backlash at her poor choice in clothing, even when she had Regina's carefully planned wardrobe to help her.

Regina's eyes travelled slowly up her body to meet her face, and a faint heat slid up Emma's chest as she squirmed. Regina looked as though she might devour her alive. Had she chosen her favorite shirt? Emma laughed uncomfortably as Regina continued to stare, her eyes making several tracks from head to toe and back again before finally meeting the sheriff's wide green eyes.

"You look good enough to eat, Miss Swan." Regina's smirk grew when Emma's mouth fell open at the insinuation.

"Shall we?" Regina blew past her before Emma could respond.

Her forehead wrinkled and her eyes moved back and forth, not really seeing anything. She jerked when she heard the front door open and scrambled to catch up with Regina, lest there be an angry mob waiting for the former royal outside her home. Emma breathed a sigh when she discovered no such thing and slid into the driver's seat. Regina raised an eyebrow, daring her to comment on the sexual innuendo she'd thrown at the blonde sheriff.

Emma bit her lip and slowly backed out of the driveway. No way would she give her the satisfaction. The drive was quiet, but the square was bubbling over with frantic people and lots of shouting. Emma took a moment to determine exactly what needed to be done. She'd have a full blown riot if she didn't play her cards right, and then she'd have no power at all. What would Regina do? What would Snow White do?

"Stay in the car and lock the doors. This could go sideways real fast," Emma warned herself more than Regina, and the former queen smirked at the insecurity lurking behind the sheriff's green eyes.

"Get their attention in a big way. There is a reason royals make a grand entrance. They want every eye dutifully following those in charge." Regina's advice made sense, and Emma smiled gratefully before stepping from her cruiser. The locks tapped behind her.

"Big way," Emma muttered. She had yet to be seen by the panicked crowd, but that would soon change.

She jumped onto the hood of the cruiser, brazenly wearing clothes that clearly belonged to the Evil Queen, and fired two shots into the air. Silence.

"Now that I have your attention, would someone mind telling me what the hell is going on?" Emma demanded as she holstered her glock and allowed her hands to fall to her hips naturally.

She saw Granny in the back pushing through the crowd, but it was Leroy who spoke first.

"What's _she_ doing here?" He pointed towards Regina. Emma wanted to check and see if her newfound companion was still in fact unscathed, but she dared not flinch for fear of losing the rapt attention of the crowd.

"She's in protective custody. I can't be at the station all day so until a better arrangement can be made, she'll go wherever I go. Your turn. What the hell is going on, Leroy?" She stared down at the little man, holding his gaze until he backed down.

"We were inspecting the boundary. Sneezy drew the short straw, so he crossed it. He lost his memories of the Enchanted Forest again." Leroy explained succinctly as he normally did, straight to the point. Emma loved that about him.

Emma floundered for a moment. She'd needed Regina's flare to grab their attention, and now she needed Mary Margaret's tenderness to soothe their fears. She took a deep breath.

"Look, everyone, I know how confused and angry you are. I'm confused and angry myself, but there is nothing to be afraid of as long as you stay away from the border. Leroy? I trust you and Snow's dwarves will arrange a guard to ensure that none cross accidentally?" The man nodded and puffed up his chest. Emma smiled. Maybe she could do this after all.

"Great! In the meantime, people, let's get back to work. I promise that I will do everything in my power to help you cross the border safely if it ever comes to that. Until then, sit tight. We'll get through this together!" She ended with a flourish.

Some cheered; some hugged. But a few stepped forward a pointed at Regina, sitting calmly in the cruiser, nauseated by Emma's political vagueness and false promises. She'd calmed everyone for now, but their ire would return eventually.

"What about the one who put us here? I demand justice! That bitch cursed us all to this realm and now we're stuck here!" Emma didn't know his name, but she recognized his face from around town.

"Regina is not a threat!" Emma shouted above the crowd, but she'd lost them to their fantasies of revenge in the guise of justice.

Emma pulled her gun from its holster to fire again but then nearly fell off the car when the loud siren from her cruiser blasted her ear. Regina smirked up at her as the crowd hushed and turned towards the savior once more.

"Regina is not a threat," she repeated firmly. "She has agreed to help me find a way to fix everything. If anyone can get you back where you belong, it is the one who brought you here in the first place. Believe me when I say that she feels remorse for what she's done, but look around you. She didn't bring you to a land where you were completely miserable or riddled with disease. You aren't her slaves. You were all made into decent people," she gestured towards Archie and then Granny.

"She gave you the skills in this world to do what you do best. Archie, you wanted to help people, so she gave you all the knowledge a conscience needs!" She hopped from the cruiser, feeling the excitement of winning the crowd tingle in her fingers.

"Granny, you take care of all of us, whether we need a warm meal in our bellies or a swift kick on our butt!" Granny smiled, realizing what Emma was doing, but proud of her impact nonetheless, and a few others laughed. "My mother is a teacher, the greatest influence on your children. Who wouldn't want that?"

Regina clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. The words were fluffy, but the effect was palpable.

"If she truly wanted to punish you, wouldn't she corrupt your children? Wouldn't she only have made you capable of doing that which makes you miserable? There is no denying that she needs to be punished for what she's done, but let's not confuse justice with vengeance. It was her vengeance that brought you here in the first place, so there is no justification if you act the same way.

"Leave us in peace to figure out how to proceed. You have my word, as the sheriff, as the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, as your savior…" She allowed the word and its meaning to hang in the air for a moment, "No harm shall befall anyone anymore from the Evil Queen.

"Go home, everyone. Open Granny's." She touched the older woman's arm as she headed back to her cruiser. "Let's open the school! Let's get back to work. Archie, I am sure you'd gladly take on any new client who is struggling to adjust. Leroy, you have your marching orders. Mother Superior, let's open the convent doors to those whose home was destroyed by the wraith. We'll also make Town Hall available for sleeping quarters until the damage can be repaired.

"Stacy," she gestured to Regina's secretary who nodded eagerly. "Can you organize that? Make sure we have enough blankets and food supplies?" The girl nodded again, her bouncy red curls jiggling with her enthusiasm.

"This isn't the end, people, it's just the beginning of a new chapter! Now, let's move!" The crowd erupted with cheers and support for Emma, but she retreated back to the cruiser as quickly as possible.

Regina unlocked the doors as she neared and raised a skeptical eyebrow at the now self-proclaimed savior. Emma's hands shook violently so she grabbed the steering wheel and squeezed until her knuckles ached.

"How long do you think I just bought us?" Emma swallowed roughly and reminded herself not to puke in front of Regina.

"Until they realize that Snow White and her idiot are missing," answered Regina honestly as she watched people disperse in all directions. A few glared at her, but she maintained her dignity by withholding any reaction.

"They want me to kill you," Emma whispered, the hopelessness of the situation finally settling into her chest. What she wouldn't give for some of Mary Margaret's characteristic optimism right now.

Regina's eyebrows rose as her jaw dropped in surprise. She figured that Emma understood what her role would be at the end, but she hadn't anticipated the horror and grief it caused the sheriff. She truly didn't want to kill anyone, especially Regina.

"You're the savior, Miss Swan. It's what they do, vanquish evil so good may thrive." Regina chuckled sadly and returned her attention to the stragglers of the crowd.

"I never asked for this," Emma said quietly.

When Regina glanced at her again, Emma stared at her hands, now imprinted with the wheel cover's design on her palms. Tears leaked freely out of Emma's bright green eyes, but Regina was convinced that the sheriff wasn't even aware of them. What could she say to make any of this any better? Nothing, Regina knew, but there was a part of her that wanted to try.

"I never asked for this!" Emma screeched and then beat the steering wheel in frustration.

Regina glanced around, ensuring that Emma's breakdown would not be public knowledge. To her relief, most everyone had gone to do whatever it is that they do best. Slowly her hand made contact with Emma's shoulder, and when she met no resistance, Regina squeezed the muscular limb in a show of support.

"It's okay, Emma," she soothed, her voice dropping to a lower register with her rising emotions.

"No, it's not," Emma sobered, though tears continued to drip off her face.

"Emma," Regina hooked one finger around Emma's chin and pulled her gaze to her eyes. "Emma, I'm not afraid to die. I'm ready, in fact. I'd rather it be at your hand than someone who would not make it honorable, someone who would take away my dignity."

Emma swallowed and twisted the key in the ignition, pulling away from the town square with a screech. She refused to glorify Regina's death for the amusement and satisfaction of the masses, especially now that she knew Regina would willingly die in order for her to maintain control of the town until Mary Margaret and David returned… if they returned. There was good in Regina. Emma only needed to find a way to bring it out and let it play with everyone, like a shy puppy who nipped when it was cornered and frightened.

"I'm the savior, Regina. I broke the curse, and now… now, I'm going to save you with or without my parents."


	4. The Moon's a Harsh Mistress

Hello, my doves! Thank you once again for the reviews and follows. I'm glad that you are enjoying my little tale. I had the absolute pleasure last night of experiencing Celtic Woman in concert for the second time, so I allowed them to inspire this chapter. Enjoy, Lovelies!

Song: The Moon's a Harsh Mistress by Celtic Woman, Private Parts by Halestorm

Warnings: semi-graphic marital rape

* * *

Regina limped around Mary Margaret's tiny kitchen, pulling things from here and there. She and Emma must have eaten very little outside of Granny's. Her nose wrinkled at the thought of the amount of grease Emma had allowed Henry to consume and set to the task of making a healthy lunch while Emma showered. She was grateful for the distraction and the usefulness of her hands, even if for a moment.

By the time Emma banged down the stairs, Regina had grilled rosemary chicken, broccoli sautéed in olive oil, and rice dished onto two plates. Both were covered with foil, Regina unwilling to eat without the sheriff. Emma's eyebrows shot upward, but she said nothing as she removed the foil and inhaled the wonderful scent.

"I think you are the first person I've seen cook something that wasn't processed in this kitchen," Emma commented distractedly around a mouthful of broccoli.

"Miss Swan, swallow before you speak or I'll choke you with it." Regina snapped and then retreated to the table with her own plate.

She stared expectantly at Emma after seating herself. She was determined to teach Emma some manners, especially if she'd be in charge of raising her son from here forward. Her heart clenched with the thought, but she gently pushed it aside when Emma joined her at the table. She didn't deserve Henry anymore, and she'd be killed before her grief could overtake her senses. There wasn't a point to dwell on what she'd lost right now.

Emma tucked into the food heartily, humming or sighing here and there at the different flavors. Regina said nothing but secretly took satisfaction in Emma's obvious pleasure. She loved to cook, and Emma's appreciation, though unspoken, made her trouble to prepare the meal worth it even if it had set her thigh throbbing and burning.

"Regina," Emma started and then set her fork down slowly, alternating her gaze between the mayor's eyes and her half-empty plate. "Can I ask you something about… about my moth… about Snow White?" She forced the name from her lips, still unsure what her mother preferred to be called now.

"If you must," Regina answered and intently watched the different emotions splash across Emma's face.

"Did you always… hate her?"

Regina sighed and sat her fork daintily at the top edge of her plate. She stared at the barely touched food so long that Emma worried that she'd deny her an answer completely.

"No, I didn't," she responded breathily. If Emma had made a sound, she'd have completely missed the admission.

"How did…" Emma cleared her throat. "You know…" She fumbled for words, not because she didn't know what she wanted to ask but because she feared bringing more pain to Regina. She certainly wouldn't want someone, who up until two days ago went out of their way to make her miserable, drudging up the worst memories of her life.

"You want to know what she did to become the target of my wrath," Regina offered, and Emma nodded sheepishly.

"She told my mother a secret that led to the murder of my fiancé," Regina shrugged as if the words meant nothing to her, but her rigid spine and carefully blank face told Emma that she felt it acutely even after all these years.

"But I thought you married the king," Emma wasn't sure she wanted to know the entire story, but she pressed on. Regina was the only person who knew her whole story, the only one who could explain to Emma why she became The Evil Queen.

"You are referring to the story in Henry's book." Emma nodded, and Regina wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"The victors write history, Miss Swan. That doesn't make it accurate or complete." A hint of sadness slipped into Regina's eyes but quickly vanished. "And one day, when my son realizes the world exists in shades of grey instead of black and white, he will have questions. I need you to have the answers in my stead. I'm practically defenseless without my magic, and I've accepted that I will most likely be executed for what I've done."

She pinned Emma with her dark eyes. "It is my last request that you hear my story, every detail, so that my son may love me again even if only in memory."

It was Emma's turn to be silent. It stretched uncomfortably as Regina finished her lunch and then limped to the sink with her plate, but Emma's stomach roiled with thoughts of what horrific things had been done to Regina to make her so angry and violent. This was why Regina had been so cooperative, and Emma was pissed that she had given up, sad that her son would probably lose someone he care for deeply, and guilty that she'd never gotten to know Regina. She, too, had been viewing the world in black and white, sucked into Henry's enthusiasm for his book of fairy tales that told only a snippet of the story and his limited view of the world. They were small glimpses into a person's life, and she'd bought into it, believed it to be an unwavering truth.

"Okay," she whispered and found Regina's eyes across the room. They studied her intently, like she didn't believe she'd heard correctly. "I'll let you tell your story, Regina, but I'm not going to let you die."

"Right, the savior thing." She rolled her eyes and turned back to the sink and cleaned her plate and fork.

"Just leave it," Emma ordered when Regina turned to clean up the skillet and pot still on the stove. Regina's brow crinkled in confusion.

"They can clean it up when they get back," Emma clarified, unable to stop the flare of anger in her voice. She was scared that she'd never see her parents again, but she was angered far more by the fact that they had done something to another human being that turned her into a sociopathic whirlwind that caused the entrapment of an entire population and decimation of a physical realm. While Snow's betrayal couldn't be the whole story, it was the catalyst that set the events into motion.

"I'm packing a bag, and then we are going to go to your house and search through your magic stuff to see if there is something we can use to open a portal. We should probably see if we can return Sneezy's memory, too. Poor guy."

Emma bounded up the stairs before Regina replied. Regina returned to her task of cleaning the dishes she and Emma used. After searching through cabinets, she located a container to dump Emma's unfinished lunch into, hoping Emma finished once she calmed a bit. Despite her affinity for Granny's cheeseburgers and fries, Emma's form had thinned from the well-muscled, athletic woman who returned Henry to her that night almost a year ago. She'd had a hand in the sheriff's raggedness, sure. She wasn't the only one, but she had been the only one to admit it.

She waited patiently by the door for the sheriff to return, clutching Emma's lunch. When she appeared at the top of the steps, Regina immediately noticed the red rims of her eyes and the anxiety splotches over Emma's face, neck and chest. She hadn't really needed a bag but she needed to cry. Regina's chest clenched painfully, but the only indication that Regina had reacted at all was a rough swallow and a solitary clench of her jaw muscles. Emma barreled out the door without speaking, and Regina was grateful for the savior's own aversion to emotional vulnerability. Because if she had looked closely enough, Emma would have known how tightly Regina's chest felt and exactly what it meant. It was the same reaction she felt when Henry was upset or in any sort of danger. It was the reaction of someone who cared for another's wellbeing above herself, and it terrified Regina. Since when did she care what happened to Emma Swan?

The rest of the day was filled with dusty books and trinkets from Regina's vault. She'd been correct in assuming Emma would finish her lunch soon after they'd started working. After they'd collected any relevant item from the Mills Mausoleum, Emma wandered into the kitchen and returned with the freshly heated plate in one hand and two mugs of coffee in the other. She practically collapsed on the floor in front of the coffee table and filled her jaws like a chipmunk. Regina accepted the proffered coffee silently and pretended not to notice Emma's unstable emotional state.

"This is pointless," Regina's frustrated voice filled the study as Emma swallowed the last bite of rice.

"Got a better idea?" Emma sniped.

"Gold. Rumplestiltskin. I'm certain he knows of something we've missed, but it will cost us. He isn't particularly fond of me, and I understand you already owe him a favor." Regina rubbed her leg absently as she spoke. The infernal thing burned terribly, and she knew she would fare far better in less formal clothing.

"How the hell did you end up in bed with him?" Emma hadn't meant it literally, but Regina flinched anyway. Her dark eyes spared a glance at the sheriff, but Emma was too lost in her own thoughts to notice her reaction.

"Are you prepared to listen to the story of my life, then?" Regina asked hopefully despite her best efforts to check her enthusiasm.

"There's nothing better to do. If you say there is nothing here that could possibly help us, then… Well, I really wouldn't know the difference, would I?"

She pulled her fingers through her unruly hand in frustration and leaned against the sofa. She'd felt many things during her life, but helpless had never been one of them. Even as a foster kid, she'd been resourceful, finding what she needed and taking what she couldn't get honestly. She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her shins, comforting herself through her ignorance of the magical world.

"If you aren't opposed, we could try and tap into my magic again. It's there, I can feel it. It simply refused to obey my commands." Regina suggested casually. It was the only thing they hadn't tried.

"Are you going to burn me crispy if it suddenly starts listening?" Emma tried to joke, but the question came out far too seriously for either of them to ignore the risk.

"I… I don't know," Regina answered honestly after a few minutes of quiet consideration.

"Well, okay then." Emma reached across the table, palm up. She cursed the slight tremble in her fingers, knowing full well that Regina saw it.

"Magic is driven by emotion, Miss Swan. Try and conjure whatever you were feeling when you touched my arm." Regina explain formally, slipping into Mayor Mills easily.

"I don't know what I was feeling. A wraith was trying to soul suck you, so I wasn't exactly doing a lot of self-analyzing." Emma wasn't frustrated at Regina. It wasn't her fault, but her own failures dug deeply and she wanted to hide them from Regina.

"Just try," encouraged Regina as she hesitantly slipped her hand into Emma's.

The sheriff jerked at the contact, surprised by the warmth of Regina's hand. Someone so cold shouldn't have such warm hands. Regina shifted uncomfortably across the table but said nothing as she stretched her other hand towards the fire place, eyes squinted in an effort to light it. She squeezed Emma's hand painfully and tensed her outstretched arm.

"Light, damn you!" She whispered angrily at the fireplace. After a few more tense moments of concentration, she dropped her hand and threw the book in her lap at the cold hearth. Emma pulled back, her back hitting the frame of the sofa painfully.

"Hey, whoa, it's okay. Calm down."

"You do want it to work, don't you?" Regina seethed and reached for Emma's hand again, but Emma only stared at the manicured finger nails that had scratched her neck the previous night.

"My magic originates in my rage, Miss Swan. I am in complete control, I assure you." Emma studied the dark eyes glaring at her and then slowly placed her hand in Regina's once more. The grip was painful, but she allowed Regina to express her anger in whatever manner she saw fit, knowing she could best her physically if not magically.

It was an exercise in futility that only served to work Regina into a frenzy with no catharsis. Regina stood and paced with her hands on her hips, mumbling beneath her breath. Emma followed her to her feet when she noticed that Regina no longer limped. She had surely pulled a stitch loose or came close, and Emma knew she needed to calm down.

"Regina," she caught the other woman's attention and then held out her hands to show she meant no threat. "It didn't work. We'll find another way. Please, just calm down."

Regina turned away from her and pressed a hand into the mantle, supporting her weight. Emma paused when she realized that she wasn't afraid of Regina's anger anymore, but she was terrified that Regina would lose herself to it. This was what she'd felt last night. She was afraid for Regina, and perhaps, maybe she cared for her in an odd way. If she touched her right now, perhaps they'd make magic again. Emma wrapped her arms around herself and held tightly. She didn't want Regina to have magic anymore. She didn't want to lose her now that they've made actual progress towards becoming allies if not friends. She'd never had someone to rely on before, and she refused to destroy that. They'd find another way to bring her parents back.

"What happened to your fiance?" She asked suddenly and squeezed herself tighter, giving Regina all of her attention. She'd think about her parents later.

"He was murdered." Regina answered immediately, and Emma realized it as a stalling technique.

"How?"

"He…" Regina cast her eyes towards the dark fireplace and offered Emma a profile of her beautifully haunted features. "My mother tore out his heart and crushed it when she found out we were running away to be married." Regina's deep voice strained against the words and the emotions associated with the memories.

"Jesus," Emma breathed before she could stop herself.

"I watched him die," continued Regina. "I held him as she crushed his heart. He was my true love, my chance at real happiness. I wasn't certain I'd ever love again until I found Henry."

"That was the secret Snow told?" Emma prodded gently when Regina became lost in the grief.

"She discovered us in the barn and asked why I was kissing another man when I was promised to her father. We connected so quickly, like sisters, that I felt I could trust her. She was a child." Regina stated the last part bitterly, and Emma watched her slipping into a black hole of self-pity.

"So you were you, Regina," Emma surprised herself with the amount of compassion she offered the woman who had made her miserable for the past year, the literal evil queen. Regina must have noticed it, too, despite her despondent gaze.

"I was the same age you were when you gave birth to Henry, Miss Swan. You and I both know how much life can be lived in 18 years, how much pain can be endured." Her words scratched with indignity, but the parallel between them had been spoken aloud. Neither moved to discredit their shared understanding of grief and loneliness.

"I gave him up for a reason," Emma confessed gently as tears stung the back of her throat. She swallowed them angrily and pressed her nails into her sides. She'd never cried much, but she found that the less she had to do physically, the more she wanted to release emotionally. Maybe she was simply going insane and imagined the shaky truce and flimsy trust established between her and Regina.

"So, you married the king," Emma nudged her forward.

"I did. Mother forced me. I tried to escape several times, but she placed a barrier spell around the castle, similar to the one around Storybrooke." Regina waved her hand around the room emphatically and then dropped it, limply, to her hip.

The muscles in her back and shoulders rippled with the effort of maintaining control, and Emma nearly reached out for her, taking two steps with reaching hands before stopping abruptly. Regina turned, her only inches from Emma's now. Her eyes were darker than usual and searching for something within Emma's. Emma wanted to help her find it, but she wasn't certain either of them could handle what they uncovered if they let themselves go. She wrapped her arms around her waist again.

"How was it broken? Maybe we can find a way to break it here. It would take some of the pressure off if people had the option to leave." Emma's voice was quiet instinctively in the close proximity, but this information was the first glimmer of hope Emma had seen since her parents went through the portal so she ignored everything else.

"I didn't break it," Regina whispered, and unlike Emma, she recognized her voice patterns for what they were. If she spoke too loudly, the connection she felt with the other woman might be destroyed. This is the way lovers spoke or so she assumed. She twitched uncomfortably but held steady eye contact as the anger released from her shaking hands and heaving chest.

"I pushed her through a portal that Rumplestiltskin provided. When her magic left the realm, all of her spells were broken." Regina explained hastily in that same quiet tone that made her already deep voice rasp and rumble sensually.

Emma finally realized the intimacy of the moment and pulled back, retreating to her forgotten coffee and the sofa for protection. Regina sighed at the savior's inability to connect emotionally to another adult. She tried so hard to let Emma in, but she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep opening herself up if Emma refused to hold her together. Her anger flashed for a moment before dissipating as Regina reminded herself that she didn't need to be held together. She'd be dead before her mental breakdown could destroy her.

"It was my wedding day." Emma's head whipped up at the quiet confession. If she hadn't believed Regina before when she said she wanted to share everything, she believed in that moment.

"Why didn't you run away then if you didn't want to marry the king?"

"Rumplestiltskin," Regina snorted and rubbed her hands together. "Everything I've done began with his influence. It took me several years to realize that imp manipulated every decision I'd ever made from that day forward."

"How? I can't see you being so easily duped, Regina. You're the freaking queen of manipulation, pun completely intended." Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing. Had Gold actually caused the curse and let Regina take the fall for it?

"He's a very patient creature. He waited months after that day before making his move. He waited until… until I was broken." The last part was so quiet that Emma had to read Regina's lips to catch all of the words.

"Broken how?"

"Leopold, your grandfather, was a gentle man, maybe even a good man, but even good and gentle men have limits to their patience and grace. He didn't force me to consummate our marriage on our wedding night, which would have been traditional and expected. I asked if we might come to know one another before we sealed our union, and he agreed. When he made no move to advance our physical relationship, I thought perhaps being a good mother to Snow White and a good wife in every other way may be enough for him. It might have been, but I was waiting for Rumplestiltskin to come take me away. Oh, how terribly naïve and stupid I had been." Regina laughed at her younger self, but it was hollow, and Emma found herself wishing she'd met young Regina.

"He never came, so I decided to search for him. I ran away, not very well, I might add. The royal guards found me within a day and returned me to the palace. I'd never seen Leopold so angry.

"_Regina!" Her name was followed by the slam and echo of her chamber door. Leopold rarely visited her here, and never during the middle of the night as per her wishes._

"_Leopold, I'm sorry. There was someone I needed to see." Regina explained, hoping that the benevolent king would understand her anguish. _

"_I don't care!" His face flushed beneath his white beard and his hands shook as he barely controlled his rage. _

"_Leave us!" He shouted, and the two guards and maids shuffled from the room quickly._

"_Do you realize how you embarrass me, Regina? Haven't I been kind to you? Haven't I waited for you to come to me, to care for me as I do you? You have repaid my kindness by shaming me!" He knocked over one of the candelabras, and Regina gasped and stood at the sudden noise._

"_I never meant to shame you," she cried, suddenly fearful that she truly had made a mistake that could not be undone._

"_It ends today," he promised, voice gruff and clear. "You are my wife, and you shall act as such."_

_His quick strides covered the distance between them in a heartbeat. The fabric of her dress gave way under his rough hands in rips and screeches as the fabric was torn from her body. Her cries for forgiveness were ignored completely, so she stopped begging. Her instinct of self-preservation, however, would not be so easily overcome, and she struggled against his efforts. The skin of his neck peeled away beneath her fingernails, and then everything went dark and hazy._

_At first, she was confused about why she was lying on the bed until the skin around her eye throbbed as she regained her senses. Leopold had struck her in anger and now straddled her hips as he bound her hands tightly with a silk cord ripped from the canopy of her bed. Before she even thought to struggle again, the cord was attached to the nearest bed post. She struggled until her wrists chaffed and bled, but it was useless._

_He removed his dagger from his belt and cut the corset and underclothes from her body. She sobbed quietly and tried to cover herself, never having been naked in the presence of anyone but her maids and her mother before. Perhaps he only meant to humiliate her as she had him and would leave her like this until morning. The thought comforted her for only a moment until she glanced at the man who had been so kind up to this point and saw that he had removed his clothes, also. _

_He gripped her knees roughly and knelt between them on the bed. He rubbed himself slowly, watching the terror in her eyes the entire time. Why couldn't she ever be good? Mother had warned her of the dangers of being disobedient, why hadn't she listened? She bit her lip and rolled her eyes away from him when she felt his lips on her breast. The sensation might have been pleasant if she hadn't been so terrified. Daniel had brushed his hand over her once while helping her from Rocinante and then kissed her deeply, and it had left her burning with a strange and uncomfortable but pleasant burning ache between her legs for the rest of the day._

_This wasn't the same. Her body reacted similarly, but it wasn't pleasant. It was a betrayal. If her own body betrayed her, she had lost hope for any other human being. She cried out when he pushed into her. It was more painful than she could have imagined. Why were people so obsessed with love making when it hurt so very much?_

"_You are not a maid," he said suddenly once he'd inserted his entire length._

"_I am, s-s-ire. I swe-ar it," she gritted through the pain and tears._

"_Then where is your maidenhead?" He leaned in close as he spoke, his hot breath puffing against her chest and face. _

_She tried to explain that she'd bled and ached one day after riding one day in the previous year, but he jerked inside her. All words were lost to the pain as he slammed into her painfully, relieving all of his frustration in the pounding of his hips against hers. Regina wanted to close her eyes, but they refused. They would not allow her to escape her reality, pretend his touch was Daniel's. _

_Instead, they found the nearly full moon outside her window. It shimmered and tossed purple hues over the clouds that passed near, almost the color of her mother's magic. It would be her escape. Magic would be her saving grace. It was that thought that sustained her as he squirted inside of her with a grunt and then collapsed onto her chest._

"_Oh Eva," he sobbed into the skin between her breasts, and Regina flinched at the mention of his dead wife. The sudden reentry into her reality crashed through her with the utterance of that name, and she knew that no matter what she did, she would never be good enough to replace the king's true love._

Regina fell quiet as her story came to a close. During her tale, she'd curled onto the sofa across from Emma and talked into her coffee cup as the events of that night flashed behind her eyes as though they had only just happened a moment ago. Emma could only stare at the beautiful broken woman across from her. The book had been so wrong about Regina. Sure, she'd done some pretty shitty things, but she wasn't evil, she was tortured and lashing out.

"Regina," Emma started, but her voice was so thick with emotion that she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Are you hungry, Sheriff? It's nearly dinnertime." Regina jumped up from the sofa and left the room.

Emma listened to the refrigerator open and close, and then the scratch and bang of a skillet being set on the stove, but she only stared at the place where Regina had previously sat. She wanted to run to her, hug her, and tell her that she would tell their son how the world had abused her, but she sat, unmoving but the shallow breaths filling her lungs. Anyone, even Snow White, may have turned to magic for comfort if they had suffered through what Regina had, and this was her first story, the first in a long line of many to come.

Was Emma strong enough to listen? She wasn't sure, but she vowed that she would do her best to be what Regina needed. If she was the savior, then she needed to save everyone, including Regina. How could you save someone from their memories?


	5. Runaway

Hello Sweet Doves! Thank you for the follows and reviews. So, this chapter turned out a lot more fluffy than I originally anticipated, but I think it works for the point we're at in the storyline. Enjoy, my lovelies, and let me know what you think!

Songs: I'm Not an Angel and Private Parts by Halestorm

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Regina glared towards the foyer when the doorbell rang. She'd only just coaxed Emma out of the study with the aroma of dinner and wasn't certain the blonde woman could handle anything else at the moment. She'd always viewed Emma as strong, invincible even, with only one weakness that was ironically her own, Henry. Emma never backed down from an argument. She stood up to Gold and to her, conceding only when she threatened to take Henry away from her. After the past 48 hours, however, Regina knew that Emma put up more bravado than anyone she'd experienced before. The woman barely held herself together, and when Henry found her last year, she'd been forced into the role of mother, sheriff, and savior in the course of a few weeks.

Now that the curse was broken, Emma was on the verge of something close to an emotional breakdown. A small sliver of guilt tugged at Regina's chest, but she pushed it aside. She needed Emma to hear her story. She needed someone to remember her as that beautiful and innocent person who saved a young girl from a runaway horse, and she needed that someone to be the one person who would never abandon her son. As long as Emma continued to listen to her, she vowed to do her best to hold the broken savior together.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Emma appeared at Regina's side, pistol in hand. She glanced at Regina in confusion briefly and then stalked towards the front door, game face in place. She took a deep breath and then jerked the door open, weapon raised but not aimed.

"Put that down, Girl," Granny grouched and then slid past her and into the foyer. Emma glanced around outside, looking for any sign of trickery. Finding none, she closed the door and locked it.

"Granny?" Regina sounded… happy?

"I figured you had dinner, but I brought you some dessert." She extended the package in her hands, and Regina lifted the covered an inhaled.

"Apple pie," Regina hummed and then smiled. "Cheeky bitch." Emma choked on the air suddenly leaving her lungs.

"Get out of those pants and hold your tongue. I came to make sure this one," she jerked a thumb towards Emma, "was taking care of you like she told me she would."

"I'm alive, Granny. I'm not sure much more could be asked of Miss Swan." Regina answered coyly before turning towards the stairs. "Oh, stir my vegetables, please."

Granny disappeared into the kitchen and Regina upstairs to change, leaving Emma dumbfounded and flabbergasted in the foyer. She moved to follow Granny into the kitchen, but the woman reappeared as she reached the door.

"Sheriff," she nodded.

"Granny… wait, do you actually have a name besides Granny and Mrs. Lucas?" Emma wondered aloud.

"Yep," Granny answered and then moved past her, finishing the table settings that Regina had been working on when she arrived.

"Can I know what it is?" Emma followed but lingered near the door of the foyer.

"Nope." Granny wiped her hands on her diner apron and sniffed at Emma. The woman unnerved the sheriff in a way only an elder who had seen some shit and took very little in her days could. Granny Lucas definitely tolerated very little nonsense. Emma fidgeted under her knowing eyes.

"How's she doing?" She asked after a few awkward moments of Emma squirming.

"Well, she's not breaking things or trying to kill me today, so I guess you can count that as a good day." Emma replied flippantly and then cowered under Granny's cold stare.

"She's convinced that she'd going to be executed," she admitted and then crossed her arms, leaning into the door frame.

Granny grunted but said nothing as her eyes moved to something behind Emma's shoulder. Emma turned to find Regina in the baggy t-shirt and basketball shorts that she'd given her last night. Regina followed Emma's eyes to her clothes and raised an eyebrow, challenging the sheriff to say something.

"Go lay down, Girl. I'll be in in just a minute," Granny ordered, but Regina hesitated.

"Granny, stop harassing Emma. She's helping," Regina ordered the older Lucas. Emma watched the showdown of wills between the two women. Why hadn't Granny ever showed her support for Regina before? Did they know each other before the curse?

"Fine," Granny conceded and then pointed towards the study.

Again, Emma was left to follow or stay as she wished. She followed, naturally, and again hung back. She stood at the fireplace and watched Granny tend Regina's stitched thigh. She had to admit that the stitches looked good. Granny practiced this particular skill often, and it showed clearly in the small, perfectly spaced stitches lining the back of Regina's leg.

"Do you want me to numb it again so that you can get some sleep, Girl?" Regina shook her head. "Alright. You should leave it open tonight. It looks good, no infection, but you need to stay off of it a bit more. You almost pulled a couple out."

"Okay," Regina replied simply, and Emma again choked on the air.

"What in the hell? You two are freaking me the hell out, okay? How do you know each other? More importantly, why are you being so nice to each other?" Emma gushed. She was too flustered to contain her questions any longer.

"Emma, Granny was my nursemaid back before Ruby was born. She left my mother's service to raise Ruby when her mother abandoned her. She was with me until I was… I was about 10, right Granny? I thought of her when you used the word improperly last evening." Regina smirked at Emma's slackened jaw and flushed face.

"But… But you were on Snow and Charming's council along with Jiminy Cricket and Red Riding Hood and Blue!" Emma screeched incredulously.

"Yes, I was, but does that book Henry is constantly lugging about tell you that I advocated for the humane treatment of Regina when she was captured? I doubt it. A few of us were opposed to the idea of executing her. Your father came up with it on his own, even Snow White was opposed. She stopped it at the last minute. Stop seeing the world through the eyes of a child, Savior." Granny barked out her last statement before patting the back of Regina's head and thumping from the room.

"I really wish people would stop calling me that," Emma whispered and then slipped into the boots she'd discarded earlier.

"Where are you going?" Regina asked, suddenly worried that the sheriff would leave her alone.

"We should get back to the station. I can't protect you here. At least there I know that you aren't going to run away, and no one is getting you without going through me first. It's the safest place to sleep." Emma explained clinically and stomped from the room. Regina felt the whiplash of Emma's sudden mood swing, but she had no idea of what caused it or how to make Emma feel any better.

She pushed herself from the sofa and slipped into the kitchen. She dished their meals into containers and left them on the counter, knowing that Emma would be starving when she calmed down again. This seemed to be a cycle with the sheriff, and Regina wondered if Emma remembered to eat after calming if someone didn't remind her. She shook away the thought. Emma's eating habits were not her responsibility as long as she stayed alive long enough to get Henry to adulthood.

By the time Regina gathered her things, Emma fidgeted in irritation by the front door. She glared at Regina but said nothing as she took her captive's bag. Regina snagged the food from the kitchen along with two forks from the table and then nodded, indicating that she was ready. She hadn't bothered to change out of Emma's clothes, giving up all notions of pretense and dignity in regards to her dress. It meant nothing anymore, not without her magic to keep her power.

Emma remained silent for nearly the rest of the evening, only speaking small pleasantries like "Excuse me" when trying to slip past her. She triple checked all of the doors and windows, making sure each was locked and barred. Regina sat quietly in her cell with the door open and read Jane Eyre with one eye, while the other watched Emma pace around her office. She disappeared down the hall and didn't return for the longest time, and Regina wondered if she'd gone to check the doors and windows again. She waited anxiously, and when the clock ticked and indicated that an hour had passed, she followed the hallway.

The whine of the treadmill and the furious pounding of Emma's feet against the belt caught her attention, and she followed the sound down the dim hall. Emma had changed into shorts and a sports bra and now desperately ran away without actually going anywhere. The image of her running so fast was incredibly symbolic. Emma had led a transient lifestyle up to this point, and she grew more anxious everyday she stayed in place.

"Emma," Regina called as she pushed through the double doors that led to the small fitness center in the basement of the sheriff's station.

"Emma," she tried again, but the blonde was so engrossed in her thoughts that she still hadn't registered the other woman's presence.

"Emma!" Regina raised her voice slightly, and Emma rolled her eyes towards her. It was a start.

Regina stepped beside the machine and jerked the safety key from its slot, and the belt along with Emma slowly came to a stop. Emma gripped the safety bars and leaned heavily as she puffed and panted. How had she been moving at that pace as winded as she was? Her entire body shone with sweat, her bra and hair were soaked. Regina fumbled in the darkened room but eventually found a towel on a shelf with some other equipment.

She approached Emma slowly from behind and placed her hand gently on Emma's hip. The sheriff flinched but didn't pull away or protest, so Regina dabbed tentatively at the sweat trickling down Emma's back. Her brows furrowed at the thin layer of skin covering Emma's jutting spine. How had no one besides Regina noticed she'd lost so much weight? She ran the towel over her neck and shoulders and then moved to her lower back.

She stepped onto the treadmill behind her and dragged the towel around her side to her stomach and then repeated the gesture on the other side. A small surprised gasp escaped her lips when Emma grabbed her wrist and held it in place on her stomach. It was an act of desperation. Emma's shoulders shook violently with silent tears but she made no move to pull Regina closer. She didn't know how to ask for comfort, Regina realized.

She stepped into the sweaty woman, nose wrinkling as the hot salty liquid dampened her own clothes and seeped onto her skin. She pushed past her slight disgust away and wrapped her other arm around Emma, covering the hand that held her wrist. It was slight, barely discernable but Emma pressed back into her, giving her permission. It was all she needed.

The towel dropped to the floor, and Regina splayed her fingers over Emma's stomach and squeezed her tightly. She laid her cheek against Emma's heated shoulder blade and waited until the tremors finally settled as all of the tears were cried away. Emma sniffled as she calmed, but said nothing and made no indication that she wanted Regina to release her, so the former royal remained put.

"Is there any chance, if I asked, you would tell me what's bothering you?" Regina asked quietly.

"I…" Emma coughed. "I miss Henry," she admitted quietly. "I miss Mary Margaret and David. They might be dead for all we know. This town is coming apart at the seams, and I can't stop it. I'm the fucking savior, not because I want to be, but because Rumpelstiltskin decreed it. I have an angry mob after the only person who seems to be making sense these days, and I have no way of stopping them unless I give them what they want. She just happens to be the mother of my child." Emma's flood gates had opened.

"Yes, Dear, all of these things are true, but what is bothering you. What are you feeling?" Regina tried again. Emma turned in her arms but stayed safely in her grasp. She seemed content, so Regina held her tightly.

"Trapped. I've felt trapped since I got here. I didn't intend to get tangled in Henry's life. I was content to run back to Boston and pretend he never existed, but you were so cold, so unforgiving of everything. I was worried, so I stayed because, you know, I know what the foster system can do to kids. I stayed so that I wouldn't have to feel guilty about leaving him with someone who might hurt him, not because I cared about him."

Emma finally stopped to take a breath and then immediately started again.

"My son came hundreds of miles to find me, and all I could think about was how much I wanted him to be with a good family so that I didn't have to deal with him."

"Emma."

"But now that I know him, I could never leave him. I love him more than anything. He's my kid, you know, and he's yours, too. And you gave him everything that I never had."

"Emma."

"But I never had any of it because you cast a stupid curse, and my parents gave me up to give me my best shot, just I like I did Henry. But they left me. They left me here all alone. Mary Margaret fell through the portal, but David followed her willingly. He left me! He left me here alone because he was self…"

Emma's eye flew open as a warm mouth halted her flow of words. Regina held her jaws and neck with her hands. She felt Emma tense to pull away as she realized what happened. She'd rather apologize for kissing her than be forced to take her to the hospital to get some sedatives when she worked herself into an anxiety attack. She nearly pulled away when something quite surprising happened.

Emma pulled her closer, hands gripping her waist almost painfully, and deepened the kiss. Regina allowed her to nip at her lower lip and run her tongue along the inside. A fire ignited inside Regina, and she reluctantly pulled Emma's lips from hers. This kiss wasn't about sexual gratification; it was about comforting Emma. The sheriff simply couldn't distinguish the difference in her grief-filled mind. She trailed her thumbs along Emma's cheekbones, telling her that what had just happened was okay. Regina was not a stranger to female companionship, so the kiss hadn't freaked her out, not the way Emma was right now.

"Emma, it's okay," Regina soothed and pressed her forehead to Emma's. The blonde tried to pull away, but Regina held her neck firmly in place.

"It's okay," Regina affirmed again. "We'll figure out this mess together. I promise I will help you get your parents back."

"Regina," Emma whispered, her voice soft and weak from her tears. She grabbed at Regina's back, looking for traction as her mind absorbed the warmth she was being shown.

"I'm here," Regina whispered, and Emma's eyes slipped shut.

"I…" Emma tried to speak but burst into tears again.

Regina continued to stroke her thumbs over Emma's face. She kissed Emma's nose. Her forehead. Her cheek. Her lips. Over and over, she let her kisses fall wherever her mouth happened to be until Emma's tears subsided once again.

"Come," Regina gently commanded. Emma allowed Regina to pull her from the running machine and led her to the shower, which consisted of a nozzle sticking out of the wall and a four inch dropped from the rest of the floor. It afforded no privacy because she'd never intended for anyone but Graham to use it.

"Get cleaned up and then come upstairs," instructed the older woman, and Emma nodded.

Regina finally released her hand and tucked some hair behind her ear before cupping her cheek. She looked as though she wanted to say something, but she simply turned and limped from the exercise room, leaving Emma to her thoughts.

What the hell just happened?

Emma tried not to think about it as she turned on the spray and stripped her sweaty clothes. Her muscles already ached from the ridiculous pace she'd run at for such a long period of time. She sighed as the heat from the pressured spray soothed them the second she stepped beneath it. She could have stood there for hours, but she knew that she'd already left Regina for far too long. Anything could have happened to the woman while she'd been on the treadmill. Locks could be picked and windows could be broken. Anyone could get into the station if they tried.

After running through the motions of washing her hair and slopping body wash over her skin with her hand, she begrudgingly stopped the flow of water. The coolness of the concrete room seeped quickly into her skin so she toweled off quickly and rummaged through her bag for a pair of sweat pants, another sports bra and a t-shirt. They needed to come up with a better arrangement for living and sleeping, but this was the best they mustered for now.

With pleasantly exhausted muscles, she traipsed back to the main office. Regina sat quietly in Emma's desk chair and clicked at something on the computer. The microwave dinged, and she swung the chair in a semi-circle and allowed the momentum to help her to her feet.

"Sit," she instructed snippily, and then shoved the hot bowl into Emma's hands along with a fork. Then she gimped to the mini-fridge Emma kept in her office and snagged a bottle of water.

"Eat," she encouraged more gently as she set the bottled water on the cot beside Emma.

"Emma?" Regina caught her attention after she finally took a tentative bite of the lasagna. She glanced at Regina but said nothing as she shoved more of the food into her mouth.

"I think I can leave town. I was never cursed with another life, so if it would make things easier for you to not have to worry about protecting me, I could go somewhere and wait until the dust settles a little bit. I'll come back to face my trial after you've either recovered your parents or found a way to at least confirm they made it through safely." Regina kept her voice carefully vague and void of emotions.

"No," Emma said simply, and Regina dropped the topic. She hadn't wanted to leave but felt an obligation to offer Emma a safe way to rid herself of the terrible burden of protecting her, the woman who had been the catalyst for her suffering.

Regina curled up on her cot and opened the book she'd borrowed, but her eyes drifted to Emma's slumped form. Her back, usually straight and proud, bent with the burden of emotion. Regina pulled her hand into a tight fist and forced herself to remain planted on the cot. She simply watched, unmoving, until Emma set the half-eaten container of lasagna on her desk and gave into her desire the rest her weary body. Exhaustion pulled her shoulders, and the effort of remaining upright to finish her dinner seemed too large to manage. So she simply lay down.

Regina shuffled behind her, and then the room went dark. The distinct sound of the cell door being closed and locked echoed in the darkened room, followed by a jingle of keys as Regina tossed them onto the desk.

They clattered onto the keyboard and jarred the computer into life. Emma almost smiled when she saw the half-finished game of Solitaire on the computer, almost, but it comforted her somehow to know that Regina enjoyed the world in which she'd cursed herself to live. Without her permission, tears slipped from her eyes and slid down her nose. She sniffed and wiped them away gently. She'd cried more in the past two days than she had her entire life.

Emma almost turned over when a harsh scraping sound tore at her ears, but she hadn't the energy to care. The sound of Regina slipping beneath the blanket and sheet of her cot sounded so close now, and when Regina's warm hand tangled in Emma's wet hair, the sheriff realized that the sound had been Regina moving her cot. She sighed into the contact and pressed her face into her pillow.

Her mind slipped further and deeper towards her ultimate goal of sleep, but Emma fought it every step of the way. Right before she lost the fight a deep, even hum filled the air. Regina humming to her? The sound was haunting and soothing at the same time, and between that and the fingernails scratching gently over her scalp, Emma finally dropped into a fitful slumber.

She awoke a few hours later to a sharp pain in her hair. Flashes of the previous night crashed through her, and she reached up to find Regina's fingers painfully clutching her hair. She gripped the small fist and massaged it until Regina finally opened her fingers. Emma held it tightly then, preventing it from returning to her hair, and then rolled over. Regina's face was twisted into a painful expression and small whimpers caught in her throat. Regina was in the throes of another nightmare, and this time Emma didn't hesitate. She reached through the bars and gently shook Regina's shoulder.

"Hey," she whispered when dark eyes finally opened and searched her face. "You were having a nightmare," Emma explained when Regina's forehead scrunched in confusion.

"I am well aware, Miss Swan," Regina sniped, using fake anger to cover her very real fear that the dream elicited.

Emma rolled her eyes at the formal name and tugged Regina's hand to her chest when the mayor tried to pull away. After what Regina had done for her only a few hours ago, she at the very least owed her this modicum of comfort.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked hesitantly, and then tucked Regina's hair behind her ear for good measure. She needed to let the other woman that she too could offer comfort despite being emotionally compromised. She'd had her breakdown earlier, and Regina might have hers now if she wished it.

"You cut off my head," Regina started. "In my dream, you rally a lynch mob and execute me while I'm tied to an apple tree."

"Oh Regina," Emma blurted before she could stop herself and cupped the other woman's face through the bars.

"Regina, I won't let it happen. I promise." Emma vowed to the broken woman across from her.

"Don't coddle me, Sheriff. When the time comes, I have no doubt my nightmare will become my reality." Regina scathed, but she didn't pull away from Emma's touch.

"I would never deign to coddle a queen, Your Highness," teased Emma, and Regina clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes at the absurdity of the statement.

"Yeah, I have no idea what that means, either." Emma chuckled at herself and then smiled when she noticed Regina's lips quirking into a reluctant smile.

"I'm sorry that I woke you. Do you think you can drift off once more?" Regina queried.

"I think I might try if you're okay."

Regina yawned in response, and Emma's smile grew. "I'll take that as a yes, then. That's good because it's way too early to be awake."

"Miss Swan?" Regina cracked one eye.

"Yeah?" Emma leaned in closer, expecting Regina to start a conversation.

"Shut up." Emma smiled wider at Regina's sass, despite the disappointment wiggling in her stomach. She'd wanted Regina to talk with her?

She pushed the thought away for later analyzing and settled onto her pillow. Regina's hand clenched hers and she cracked her eyes to find Regina's big brown eyes studying her face.

"You won't let go?" She glanced towards their joined hands, and Emma pressed Regina's hand into her chest.

"I'm right here," Emma whispered and then reached through the bars again to smooth Regina's hair from her face one more time.

Regina's eyes drifted closed at the contact and never reopened. Emma watched her for any sign of discomfort and traced her thumb across her temple until her breathing evened out and came through her lips in soft puffs. Slowly, afraid of jarring the other woman, Emma reclaimed her hand and settled it over their joined hands at her chest.

Somehow, in the midst of this insanity, she and Regina had begun a friendship, a union based on trust and mutual respect. Emma grinned at the thought and then clamped her eyes shut before her mind wondered to the kiss they shared only hours before and what exactly it meant. Perhaps it meant nothing, but perhaps it could have meant something more. Emma allowed her smile to grow and clutched at the warmth against her chest. For the first time, Emma fell asleep safely in the comfort that just maybe she didn't have to be alone anymore.


	6. Let's Build a Fire

My Doves! Thank you so much for your support. Your wonderful reviews certainly inspire my muse. Enjoy, Lovelies, and as always comments, criticisms, and suggestions are welcome.

This chapter completely rearranges the canon events. I was going to try and keep all of the actual events as close to accurate as possible, but this just worked so much better.

(P.S. Couldn't help myself with my little mini-ship at the end. I do hope you enjoy it. True love at first sight!)

Songs: I Hate it When You See Me Cry and I'm Not an Angel by Halestorm (and if you haven't checked out this band by now, do so. I'm convinced that there isn't a feeling out there that Lzzy Hale can't provoke)

* * *

Emma awoke slowly. The oddly refreshed feeling was strange. She hadn't felt like this since moving to Storybrooke. Her eyes opened naturally, and a slight panic gripped her chest as the events of the previous night slipped over her once more. She wasn't weak. She wasn't that person who needed to be taken care of, especially by someone like Regina Mills, former evil queen and supposed arch nemesis.

But there she was, sleeping peacefully with one hand tucked beneath her chin and the other still pressed against Emma's chest. She'd been so gentle, so _human, _when Emma had desperately needed someone_. _She never imagined that she would find that someone in Regina, and the intimacy of their shared misery terrified the crap out of the sheriff, just as the intimacy of their current position made Emma's chest clench, left her wanting to move her hands, to get up, to run away, but she remained still, hands holding Regina's in place on her collarbone.

Regina looked so differently when she slept. Her features relaxed into something that nearly resembled innocence, but Emma knew that peaceful sleep only provided temporary respite for Regina's torment. So Emma lay perfectly still and forced long, deep breaths in and out of her chest, quelling her fears about waking so close to the woman literally separated from her by steel bars. Any movement would have surely roused the brunette.

They hadn't done anything wrong last night. The situation simply required they stick together until they straightened out the mess. For Henry, Emma reassured herself. She protected Regina because Henry needed his mother, and she needed her assistance with the magic stuff. Still, Regina's soothing voice and gentle kisses floated to the surface of Emma's mind, and the blonde shivered. Comforting a broken savior wasn't required, but she'd done it anyway.

There had been no judgment, no expectation, just an offering of quiet strength that reinforced the strings that held her heart together. Emma had to wonder if she glimpsed a moment of the real Regina, soft and quiet but firm and confident in her actions. She hadn't apologized for crossing a physical boundary by kissing her, hadn't wanted to broach the awkward topic when Emma had returned to the main office. She simply accepted that Emma needed physical comfort in that moment, and she had given it willingly, without hesitation or remorse.

How had things changed so drastically between them in just a few days?

"Mmm," Regina released a throaty groan as her eyelids fluttered. Emma's lips pulled upward.

"Morning," whispered Emma, slowly coaxing the older woman from her slumber.

"I hate mornings," Regina muttered, eyes still closed.

"Really?" Emma's suddenly louder voice echoed harshly off the cement walls, and Regina's eyebrows pulled together. "You're always up so early, though. All those seven am meetings. Even on the weekends you always had Henry up before ten."

"Miss Swan," Regina warned. "If you wish me to hold conversation, I require coffee and no less than twenty minutes for it to take affect." Her brown eyes finally opened begrudgingly, and Emma smirked at the mayor's grumpiness.

"Granny's?" Emma asked, keeping her questions as monosyllabic as possible. She glanced towards the window and saw that the sun was only beginning to peep over the tree line. "Should be early enough to avoid a crowd," Emma added quickly.

"That'll do, Pig," Regina rasped as her eyes fell closed again. Emma giggled, trying her best to hold the sound in.

"Did you just make a _Babe _reference?" Emma laughed at the absurdity, and Regina's eyes flew open again.

"You know, I've never slit a throat before, but you make me want to try it out. See how it feels," Regina seethed, and Emma sobered enough to stop laughing but failed to wipe the smile from her face.

Regina's eyes shone with irritation. Emma reluctantly released Regina's hand and pushed herself from the bed. Her overused muscles groused, and she stretched towards the ceiling before letting her body fall forward to lay her hands flat on the floor. Regina blinked away the sleep and watched the sheriff awaken her sleepy body, hand still on Emma's cot.

When Emma unlocked the cell and then silently disappeared down the hall, presumably to change her clothes, Regina finally rolled over and set her feet on the cold stone floor. She frowned at the wrinkles in her blacks slacks and deep red blouse as she pulled them from her bag but donned them anyway along with her flat boots. Her stitches protested with each stretch forward, and she ignored them. Her wounds would be completely healed in a couple of days, so there wasn't any point to complain.

Emma returned a few minutes later, dressed in her typical skinny jeans, boots and a heather grey t-shirt that hugged every curve of her torso. Her wild blonde hair went without brushing and framed her face in large swooping curls and tiny knots here and there. Regina thought the look suited Emma. It was untamed, wild, just like the blonde sheriff. As much as she despised the Charmings, she admitted that they certainly made a beautiful baby.

"Ready?" Emma asked as she slipped her sidearm onto her belt and then secured the buckle.

Regina said nothing but followed the sheriff to the front door. Emma diligently checked for any signs of a threat the entire two minute walk to the diner. Regina wasn't even certain the sheriff took a breath until the bell signaling their arrival at the restaurant jingled above their heads. Regina almost felt insulted and nearly lashed out several times as Emma threw her arm out to halt their progress or glanced behind them or stepped closer, hand hovering centimeters from the small of Regina's back. She neither asked for nor required the sheriff's protection, her pride screamed, but Regina held her tongue because she knew that she'd already be dead, torn to pieces by a lynch mob by now, if it weren't for Emma's influence. She needed Emma Swan, and it pissed her off.

"Ruby?" Emma stopped abruptly, and Regina bumped into her shoulder before she stopped her momentum.

"Emma, hey," Ruby bounded over to them and hugged Emma. She eyed Regina apprehensively.

"Mayor Mills," she nodded, trying desperately not to be afraid of the woman next to Emma.

"Miss Lucas, where is my son?" Regina bit, and Emma sighed. She was sure Ruby had a perfectly reasonable explanation as to her early return to town.

"He's in the back room asleep. We came in late last night, but you weren't home or at Mary Margaret's. The station was locked up tight, so we came here." Ruby explained to Emma quickly and then turned her big doe eyes to Regina. "He was worried about you."

Regina reacted visibly and then straightened herself, Mayor face in place within a second. Emma grabbed her hand and squeezed. Ruby worried her bottom lip, clearly waiting for the backlash from The Evil Queen.

"Go. I'll bring you some coffee back in a minute." Emma encouraged Regina who merely nodded and nearly tripped over her boots in her rush to see her son again.

Emma shrugged when Ruby's confused eyes met her.

"Rubes, we need coffee stat," Emma changed the subject easily, though her anxiety at Regina's absence started burning slowly in her stomach.

"She's, uhh, different, somehow. Still scary as hell, don't get me wrong, but different." Ruby casually commented as she filled Emma's coffee request.

"Ruby, do you know what Regina likes for breakfast?" Emma asked and drummed her fingers on the counter as she waited for their coffees.

"Umm, she's only been in a few times, but I think she likes omelets with mushrooms and onions," Ruby's nose crinkled at the combination.

"Great. We'll take that and two orders of pancakes for me and Henry, bacon extra crispy." Emma ordered absently, eyes turned towards the back room.

"Sure, Emma. I'll just bring it back there." Ruby tried to smile but only managed a tight grin that didn't reach her eyes. Emma could have punched herself in the face.

"Ruby?" She reached across the counter suddenly and snagged Ruby's hand. "Are you okay?"

"I… I'm here." She tried to smile again and simply shrugged when it failed again.

"Thank you for taking care of Henry. It means a lot to me and to Regina, though she'd probably never say it." They both managed a smirked at the truthful comment.

"He's a good kid," Ruby said sadly, the brief moment of playfulness gone.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Emma's bright green eyes flitted back and forth as they searched for the truth in Ruby's large chocolate orbs.

"Not everyone was cursed when they couldn't remember their life before Storybrooke," Ruby confessed quietly and then abruptly turned and disappeared into the kitchen before Emma commented.

The sheriff watched her go with squinted eyes and tucked the information away for later. She'd put Ruby back together once she fixed the town, retrieved her parents from an unknown realm, saved Regina from execution, broke the barrier spell, returned Sneezy's memories, and accepted the fact that fairy tales were real. She shook her head at her to-do list and loped towards the back room.

She paused in the doorway and simply watched Regina and Henry in an emotional embrace. Regina's brown eyes shimmered with tears that she'd never let fall in front of her son. Henry's head was buried in Regina's chest, tucked safely beneath her chin.

"Hey Kid," she greeted, and Henry turned childishly happy eyes towards her.

"Emma!" He practically bounced in place as he waited for her to set the coffee down on the worn table in front of the sofa.

She grunted when the full force of eleven-year-old boy crashed into her diaphragm and eagerly wrapped her arms around his thin shoulders. Regina caught her gaze over his head, and Emma's breath snagged in her throat. Instead of the anger and pain and possessiveness that usually filled Regina's eyes when she watched Henry hug Emma, she saw only happiness with perhaps a hint of sadness on the edges. It should have made Emma feel good that Regina had finally accepted her role in Henry's life, but it only made her feel sick. Regina truly believed that she was going to die, perhaps she even wished it.

The moment passed, and Henry jerked her towards the couch. He nestled contentedly between his two mothers, unaware of what had just passed between them.

"Mom, Ruby is so awesome. She has, like, a superpower. She can smell things that are miles away now that magic is back, and she's teaching me how to track things in the woods. I really like camping. We should go sometime." Henry chattered excitedly as the two women sipped their coffees.

Regina's eyes caught hers over his head again as Henry happily jabbered on about Ruby this and Ruby that, and Emma almost choked on the hot liquid. Regina's expression was a mixture of amusement, irritation, and contentment at her son's antics. Emma found the answer to her earlier questions. Regina woke up so early because Henry was a morning person, and she sufficiently plied herself with coffee before her son rose in order to tolerate his overabundance of energy.

"Mom! Mom, are you listening?" Henry stared up at Regina with big eyes.

"Yes, of course, Sweetheart," Regina answered immediately. "I would love for you to show me how to build a fire." Regina smiled down at her son.

Emma stared at them. How had Regina kept up with the conversation? She usually zoned out when Henry sprinted off on one of his tangents and had to ask him a million questions to catch up once he realized she wasn't listening anymore. When had he started talking about fires? Regina smirked at her slack jaw surprise. A knock pulled their attention to the door just before Ruby slipped in, one hip at a time. Emma shook her head. For all of Ruby's blatant show sexuality, the girl would be unstoppable if she ever truly realized how sensual she was when she stopped trying so hard.

Emma grinned when she caught Regina's eyes flicker over the young waitress' body. Huh, she'd never noticed Regina's proclivity towards pretty women before, but now that she'd seen that side of the older woman, she realized that at least some of the predatory stares she'd seen the mayor throw around hadn't all been in anger. Ruby sat their food on the coffee table and then ruffled Henry's hair.

"Brought you some hot chocolate, Kiddo. It's probably much better when it's not made over a fire." Ruby smiled fondly at their son who was looking at the wolf with worshipful eyes.

"I like your campfire hot cocoa," Henry reassured. "Mom said she'd take me camping some time and let me teach her how to build a fire." He vibrated with excitement at the thought, and Regina rolled her eyes, never having made such a promise. "Maybe you can come with us, too, Ruby."

Emma smiled at the waitress, glad to have confirmation that she'd made the right decision by sending Henry away with her. He seemed happy and distracted from the fact that an angry mob lead by Dr. Whale nearly killed his mother a few days ago. Henry crunched into a piece of bacon, and Ruby turned to go.

"Ruby?" Regina spoke before Emma had the chance, and she turned a cautious eye to the dark-haired woman. Ruby crossed one over her chest and squeezed her other bicep as she bit her bottom lip and turned slowly to face the formidable woman.

"Thank you," Regina said reverently. To anyone else, Regina had merely thanked the waitress for bring their food and being nice to her child. To the three women in the room, however, Regina had just shown her gratitude to the woman who volunteered to care for her son and help him forget all of the bad things happening.

Ruby bowed her head shyly, red and black hair falling into her face. "If you need anything else…" The statement hung openly, and Henry glanced back and forth between Ruby and his mother, forehead wrinkled, like he knew he'd missed something but couldn't put his finger on it.

The moment passed when Ruby disappeared from the room, and Henry cut into his pancakes, content to take the interaction at face value. Emma followed suit, and Regina said nothing about her omelet if it was the wrong order. The sheriff had only taken three bites when her cell phone rang, and she rolled her eyes.

"Sheriff Swan," she barked into the device, clearly irritated at the interruption.

"What is it, Gold? Whose gone?" Emma dropped her fork to her plate and stood after listening for a few moments.

"Look, I can't just go looking for someone who might not even be missing in the first place." Emma cocked her hip and stared into the diner from the doorway. Regina tilted her head, intrigued. What could Rumpelstiltskin possibly need from Emma at this hour?

"No, just wait a few hours, okay. If she doesn't come back by then… Fine, yes, I will uphold my end of the bargain. We're square if I find her for you? I owe you nothing?" Emma's shoulders drooped, and Regina knew that Gold had just called in his favor.

"Whatever. Fine. Yes, I'll meet you there." Emma snapped the phone shut and turned to Regina and Henry's puzzled faces.

"I have to go. Regina…" Emma stopped when the mayor's face fell in disappointment.

"Can I speak with you privately?" Regina nodded and stood, unconsciously smoothing her shirt. "Kid, I'll be back in a little while, okay. Stay with Ruby, no matter what." Emma instructed, and Henry nodded.

"I will, Emma," he confirmed, and she nodded.

They took several steps down the hall until Emma was sure they were out of Henry's earshot. Regina wrung her hands and waited for Emma to speak.

"I have to go help Gold. Apparently, a young woman is missing. He called in his favor or I wouldn't bother. He's convinced that she's been kidnapped." Emma explained quickly.

"Who is it? Maybe I can give you an idea of where she might have gone."

"Some woman named Belle. I've never met her." Emma stopped suddenly when Regina's face turned ashen. "You know her?"

"I do," Regina confirmed mechanically, and Emma's stomach flipped. What had Regina done to this woman?

"I locked her in the mental asylum beneath the hospital for 28 years," Regina explained without provocation, head hung in shame. "She must have escaped when the curse was broken. Her father owns the flower shop."

"Is she dangerous? I mean, you locked her up for a reason, right?" Emma didn't want to know the truth, but she already saw it in Regina's eyes.

She'd locked her up to hurt Rumpelstiltskin.

Emma opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again, swallowed roughly. Finally, she touched Regina's shoulder. The older woman raised her surprised eyes to Emma's. The moment lingered.

"I'll find her, and then we'll help her," Emma vowed quietly. "I need you to promise me something, though. I need you to stay here in the back room with Henry until I get back. Please don't run away or try to leave. I know you think you deserve whatever they will do to you if they find you without me, but I don't and I don't want Henry to see that. Stay. Please."

Regina only stared. Emma searched her eyes frantically, wanting to hear Regina make the promise, but it never came.

"Stay here for Henry. Promise me."

Again, Regina only stared as her breathing increased and her brows pulled together in thought. Emma's heart raced. Regina could take Henry and leave Storybrooke and never look back if she wanted.

"Regina, please stay with me," Emma pleaded breathily, fingers clutching painfully at her shoulder.

Regina jerked at the soft words and the emotions behind them but formulated no answer to Emma's request. Emma touched her cheek with her free hand, holding her gaze, determined to find an answer in her watery brown eyes. Emma brushed her thumb lightly on the skin beneath her eye as a tear leaked out, catching the liquid before it dripped down her face. Heat pressed against her front as Emma stepped into her.

Regina tipped her back, bringing their lips closer together, and her breath mingled with Emma's. The sheriff hesitated only a moment and then lowered her mouth towards Regina's. They were only centimeters away from something that terrified both of them, and Regina gasped. Emma paused to search her eyes, finding fear and confusion.

"I'll stay put," Regina said suddenly and cleared her throat as she stepped back.

Emma's heart lurched at the sudden loss of contact, hands suspended in the air as if they still held the other woman's skin beneath them. They ached to reclaim what they'd lost, and she forced them to her sides in tight fists. Regina turned abruptly and retraced her steps to Henry, and Emma's eyes closed once she'd disappeared.

What the hell just happened, and why had she asked herself that question everyday since coming to Storybrooke?

She leaned her back against the wall as her mind worked to uncover the meaning behind she and Regina's very sudden and very deep connection. It came up empty. Jaws clenched, she pushed from the wall, stalking towards the dining room with a fiery purpose. A few other people sat quietly at tables now, nursing coffees or wolfing down breakfast before work, and Emma glared at them all. Ruby's concerned eyes caught hers as she approached the girl in the middle of the diner.

"Watch over them, Ruby," Emma pleaded quietly and touched Ruby's arm as she passed. She didn't wait for an answer. She didn't need one. Ruby may have been loyal to Snow White, but she knew that Regina didn't deserve to be humiliated and murdered in front of her son, a child that the wolf obviously cared for deeply. She'd protect them by keeping their presence a secret.

It didn't take long to track Belle down. Gold was right that she had been in danger, but it didn't make Emma's irritation at the man's antics lessen. The girl was clearly traumatized by her father's plot to erase her memories and trusted no one, not even Gold who fawned over her like a lovesick pup.

"So that's it, then. We're even?" Emma asked, interrupting the moment between, apparently, Beauty and The Beast. Her head spun with that parallel.

"We're even," he grimaced at the words, and a look of horror crossed Belle's face.

"You're still doing it," she accused and backed away from him slowly, her head shaking back and forth slowly.

"First the wraith, and now already another deal you've cashed in on. I've been back for less than a week!"

"Belle, please. I was only trying to help you. Sheriff Swan owed me a favor, that is all. She helped willingly, I swear it." Gold tried to reason with the girl, but she refused to believe him. She knew how to spot his lies.

"She is not here because she wants to be, Rumpel!" Belle flung a shaking finger in Emma's direction. "You will never change." The sheriff watched the exchange with curiosity. This woman had power over the Dark One. Belle turned to her abruptly.

"Please will you take me with you?" Her sad, haunted eyes turned upwards to meet Emma's, pleading, begging.

"Please, I have no one, nothing," she continued, tears falling freely down her face. Emma glanced between the girl and Gold. His eyes hardened with anger, and Emma felt a small piece of satisfaction. She'd already planned to take Belle to the hospital anyway, but if it pissed Gold off, then that was all the better.

"Come on," Emma said finally and held her hand out to the girl. She expected Belle to take it, but instead the girl pressed her trembling body against Emma's beneath her outstretched arm. Emma froze momentarily, shocked by the shaking body suddenly tucked against her, and then rested her arm around the girls shoulders.

"Gold," Emma fixed him with a glare of her own. "I am not taking her away from you so wipe that pissy look off your face. She doesn't want to go with you, and I'm not going to make her, understand? I'll keep her safe, and if she decides to come back, then it is her decision to make. No one will keep her away against her will."

Emma waited only for a moment and then turned towards the exit of the mines, unsure if her words got through to Gold's anger. She couldn't have mustered enough to strength to care if she'd tried. As she escorted Belle through town towards Granny's, a few people tossed odd looks in her direction. Some were because she was holding a sobbing shaking mess of a woman who was presumed dead for 28 years, and others were because she was not accompanied by Regina who hadn't been more then 30 feet from her for the past three days. She held the distraught woman against her tightly and covered her face with her hand, preserving what dignity she could. She adamantly refused to go to the hospital, insisting that she hadn't been injured, so Emma figured that getting her a room at Granny's would be the simplest solution until they figured out something better.

Emma released her hold on the girl when they reached the door of the diner but then took her hand when Belle's eyes filled again with tears. She poked her head in the diner and searched for Ruby.

"Hey Rubes?" She waved her over and then shut the door. Belle reclaimed her spot against Emma's chest, and the sheriff sighed silently.

Ruby poked her head out of the diner a moment later, eyes widening at the sight. "Emma, what's going on?" She asked as she slipped out of the door and pulled it shut behind her.

"Ruby, this is Belle. Belle, this is Ruby." Emma introduced them almost sardonically.

Belle hiccupped and then turned her bright blue eyes to the new woman. Ruby gasped and took a step back, eyes glued to the woman in Emma's arms.

"Hello," said Belle in a small, shy voice, and Ruby jerked suddenly.

"Hey, hi," Ruby stuttered, causing Emma's eyes to narrow at the odd reaction.

"Umm, okay. Look, can I get a key to one of the rooms? I'll explain everything later." She opted for ignoring Ruby's weird behavior altogether.

"Yeah, absolutely. I'll take her up if you want." Ruby said, a hint of blush tingeing her cheeks. Emma's mouth dropped open and she snapped it shut immediately.

"If you're sure. That okay, Belle?" Emma glanced down at the now calm woman who was staring at Ruby like she'd seen a ghost.

"Yes," Belle answered, pulling her eyes away from Ruby's for only a moment.

Ruby smiled in response and pointed towards the side door that led to the front desk of the in. She wrapped a hand around Belle's arm and rubbed her back soothingly with the other as she escorted the woman to her temporary home. Emma watched them until they disappeared behind the door, mouth hanging open again.

What the hell was happening in her town?

She shook herself from her musings and slid around the opposite side of the restaurant and slipped in the back door, praying that Regina had kept her promise.


	7. Belle

My Sweet Doves! Bless you all for your kind reviews and follows. I'm having such a wonderful time writing this story. The words just keep flying out of my fingertips, and I love your commentary so very much. I love the idea of Regina pursuing and taking care of Emma even though she is the one who is in danger and the most emotionally compromised at this point. Thanks once again, and enjoy!

Warnings: Alas, the time for fluff has passed. Some angst, some torture, some sexual violence.

Songs: I'm Not and Angel by Halestorm, Monster You Made Me by Pop Evil, Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson

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Emma returned to the back room of the diner to find Regina and Henry snuggled on the couch. Regina had turned to the side and leaned against the arm and Henry reclined against her, intently watching some cartoon flashing on the old television across the room. He glanced up at her and pressed his finger to his mouth in a shushing gesture and then pointed to Regina's head lulled against the back of the sofa at an uncomfortable angle. Dark hair fell over her face, obscuring her features, and Emma smiled. Neither of them had gotten much sleep in the past few days, and the comfort of Henry's return had prompted her into a nap.

She curled into the arm chair and held her shaking hands against her chest. She truly feared that Regina would not make good on her promise, and the relief tore through her system as the adrenaline faded, leaving her anxious and trembling and a little sick to her stomach… maybe that was hunger. She ignored her clenching stomach and laid her head against the arm rest, eyes on the t.v. without actually seeing the moving pictures.

Henry watched cartoon after cartoon and eventually Regina groaned and rubbed her neck. The sound roused Emma from her semi-catatonic state, and Henry leapt off the couch in an ungraceful flourish.

"Finally! I gotta pee!" He rushed from the room, and Emma snorted in amusement, as she pulled herself upright. Her legs had gone numb about an hour ago, but she hadn't the energy to move.

Regina jerked at the sudden jostling and clutched at her leg, unbeknownst to Henry. He must have wriggled across her bad leg in his rush to relieve his bursting bladder. Emma watched her carefully and stretched out, wiggling her feet to and fro in an attempt to restore blood flow. She frowned at the painful tingling but tried her best to ignore it, lest Regina need her assistance. Finally, after a long moment of rubbing her leg gently, Regina sat up and rolled her neck.

"Did you find Belle?" Regina's voice was harsh and raspy, and it rolled down Emma's spine with a pleasant shiver.

"Yeah, turns out Gold was right. Her father had kidnapped her and took her to the mines to bypass the dwarves. He was going to send her underneath the town line to erase her memories of Rumpelstiltskin. We got there just in time." Emma explained succinctly, leaving out the part about Gold's magic having returned with no problem. She'd leave that for a later discussion when Henry wasn't lurking about.

"How was she?" Regina's voice was hesitant, like she really didn't want to know.

"She's a wreck," Emma answered honestly but gently. "She and Gold had some sort of argument about him using magic and making deals, burst into tears and begged me to bring her with me. Ruby gave her a room at the inn for now, but we need to figure out a more permanent solution." Emma watched the different emotions playing across Regina's pale face… anger, pain, guilt, surprise. Emma felt bad, but she refused to lie to Regina. She maintained this shaky truce and budding friendship only if she stayed honest with former royal.

"Did you eat?" Regina asked suddenly, waving a hand towards the empty plate on the table.

"Henry had a grilled cheese. He refused to move because he didn't want to wake you, so I had to hand it to him." Emma grinned at their son's gentleness and concern about waking his slumbering mother. Regina smiled sadly.

"I need you to go to my office," Regina abruptly turned a corner on the conversation, and Emma scrambled to keep up.

"Now?" Regina nodded. "For what?" Emma's voice rose an octave in disbelief. What could be so important to Regina that she needed Emma to leave her side again?

"Yes, Miss Swan, I need it now. In the bureau on the right side of my office, there is a drawer full of master keys. I need you to bring me the one marked 'library.'" Regina nodded as she came to some sort of decision that she hadn't spoken aloud yet, and her tone left little room for negotiation.

"Oh, and please send Miss Lucas back for our lunch orders. I'd go myself, but I promised you I'd remain out of sight." Regina raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at Emma's surprise, and then flicked her wrist as if dismissing a servant. "Step to it, Sheriff."

Emma shook her head at Regina's entitled tone but followed her instruction anyway. Old habits died hard for former queens. Henry bumbled clumsily into the room at that moment and stared up at her in concern. She ran her fingers straight through his hair, making it stand on end in some places.

"Be back soon, Kid," assured Emma and dutifully tromped to Town Hall after directing Ruby with her eyes to the back room.

Emma had to pick the lock of Regina's office when she arrived. Thankfully, no one had broken in and trashed the place. She found the key easily and then dropped it when she turned to find Archie standing in the doorway. The man grinned sheepishly and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Sorry, Sheriff. I saw you come in, and I wanted to talk with you about Regina." He explained in his soothing, slightly effeminate voice.

"What about her?" Emma groused as she knelt to retrieve the key. She was fully prepared to blow off the therapist if he even hinted to any type of punishment for the former evil queen.

"I want to help her,' he admitted quietly.

"I didn't realize it before, but Regina never suffered from any sort of amnesia from the curse. She'd been seeing me for a few months before the curse broke. She said a lot of things that didn't make sense at the time, but they do now. She was trying to change, even before the curse was broken, Emma." He fixed her with a serious expression, it was sincere and troubled all at the same time.

"Archie, I…" Emma wasn't sure how to respond to the offer or the knowledge that Regina had begun therapy even before everyone knew what she'd done.

"Look, I know that you are concerned for her safety as you should be," he validated her concerns gently. "I'm angry about what happened because it caused a lot of pain and suffering for a lot of people, but I'm not upset about my new life. I've spent most of this past week thinking about it, and I love my new life. I get to help people, and I get to live in human form while doing what I love. Being a cricket was fun for about a day." He laughed at his previous predicament, and Emma felt her heart lighten at his quiet admission.

"I'll talk to Regina. If she agrees, I have no problem with it." Emma agreed tentatively.

"Do you always call her Regina?" He asked suddenly. Emma's brows pulled together in confusion, but she humored the docile man.

"Uhh, at least in the past three days, yes," she answered, the question obvious in her voice.

"That's good. You should keep that up." When Emma pinned him with an irritated look, he continued, "Regina needs someone to see her as a person, not the evil queen, not the mayor, just Regina. Using her first name only will reaffirm that you see her without her titles, and in a way that you see her humanity."

Emma nodded as the explanation made sense. She felt the same way when people called her "Savior." It stripped her of her identity and forced her into a role that she never wanted. Dr. Hopper saw the understanding in her green eyes and offered her a parting smile before slipping quietly down the hall. To Emma, she'd always just been Regina, even when she was a raging bitch in mayor's clothing.

Emma shook away her reverie and locked the office as she left. She picked her way through the cots spread down the hall, knowing she really needed to organize a group to repair the homes that had been damaged by the wraith. She needed to talk with Marco. No time like the present to flex her Savior muscle. She entered the large meeting room and found Stacy bustling about, restocking bottled water in several large refrigerators that had been moved into the space. She returned the redhead's enthusiastic wave from across the room and slowly picked her way through the cots and bags and running children strewn about. It wasn't the utter chaos she'd anticipated and was relieved that she'd left Stacy in charge.

"Sheriff Swan," the woman greeted warmly, just like she always had when Emma had shown up at the mayor's office.

"Stacy, how's everything?" She waved her hand around the room.

"As good as can be expected. Dr. Hopper has been an absolute angel. He's really worked hard to make sure everyone is adjusting properly. Poor guy is here at dawn and doesn't leave until everyone who wants to talk with him has had the chance. I have a cot set up for him in the corner, just in case he ever wants to stay, but he always goes home every evening." Stacy gushed, clearly taken with the gentle man's work ethic, and perhaps him as a person.

"That's great. We'll have to do something special for him when things calm down a bit." Emma suggested, and Stacy's eyes sparkled with the thought, already planning some sort of surprise for the therapist. Huh. She'd never imagined Archie in a relationship, but if he played his cards right, he'd have this woman eating out of the palm of his hand.

"Oh yes, that would be wonderful! He's so humble, though, so he'd probably only be comfortable with a small get together at Granny's."

Scratch that. He already had Stacy completely enthralled. Good, he deserved a happy ending, too.

"Stacy," Emma pulled the flighty woman back on track. "Can you get in touch with Marco for me and start getting volunteers together? We need to get people back in their homes soon. I need Marco to draw up the plans and oversee the construction. I'd do it myself, but I know nothing about carpentry."

"Oh of course. I'll give him a call this evening, and ask him to come see you. I'm sure the prince could help. He's quite knowledgeable about such things. Where is he anyway?" Stacy queried innocently, not realizing the can of worms she could unknowingly open if she pressed the issue.

"Uhh, he and Snow White disappeared together after they helped get rid of the wraith.," Emma skimmed around the truth. It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Oh," Stacy giggled and blushed. "I suppose true love needed some alone time." She winked at Emma a moment before a horrified expression crossed her mousey features.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry, Sheriff. They are your parents after all. Probably not an image you want in your head, is it?" Emma held a hand up to stop the young woman's anxious tangent.

"It's okay, Stacy. I'm sure they'll return soon," Emma assured her, hoping that her words weren't false. Perhaps if she could keep the secret long enough to get the town put back together, the backlash of her deceit wouldn't be quite as harsh for her as well as Regina.

"How wonderful that they allowed their princess to lead us," Stacy gushed and clapped her hands in front of her. Her intentions were well-placed but Emma still bristled at the blatant use of her title.

"Yes," Emma cleared her throat. "I'm doing my best." She smiled at the girl in what she hoped was a reassuring and politically correct way. "I need to get back, but please pass along the message to Marco and thank you so much for taking care of everyone here. It's helping me so much just knowing that everyone is safe and fed."

Stacy beamed at the compliment even as her cheeks and neck filled with red coloring. She was such an odd girl. How had she ended up as Regina's personal secretary? Surely her bubbly personality had grated against Regina's nerves. Who had she been in the Enchanted Forest?

"Stacy, out of curiosity, who were you back in the Enchanted Forest?" Emma voiced her question, and Stacy raised her chin in pride.

"I was head chambermaid to Queen Regina." She leaned in conspiratorially and whispered the next part. "You're not going to let them hurt her, are you, Sheriff Swan? I know she hurt a lot of people, but they didn't see her pain. My room was connected with hers at the castle. She cried nearly every night, and sometimes her nightmares would be so fierce that I woke her out of fear she'd accidentally harm herself while thrashing about. I'd forego sleep those nights and keep watch over her. She'd always rewarded loyalty, so she never treated me with anything but kindness." Stacy shook her head sadly as she remembered her former mistress' torment but then smiled up at Emma hopefully.

"I'm doing my best," Emma assured the conflicted girl and squeezed her shoulder lightly. "I need to get back to her."

"Of course! I'll work on that list of volunteers like you asked. Should I call the station?"

"Yeah, I have it forwarded to the department cell phone, so you should be able to reach me anytime." Emma confirmed and then turned on her heel.

She cared not if the abruptness of her departure seemed rude to Stacy. Her mind overflowed with all of the new information about Regina being flung at her, and she simply wanted the woman to kiss her again. It certainly wasn't love, but it hadn't sucked either. Emma knew, however, that traipsing down that path would only lead to more confusion and heartbreak for both women. Best if they stuck to the much less complicated hand holding and head scratches.

Emma's stomach grumbled loudly when she stepped through the door of the diner. The bell dinged, prompting Ruby to glance towards the door before returning her full attention to Belle who sat across from her in a booth. Three empty glasses of what looked like tea sat between them. Belle smiled shyly at the sheriff as she passed, and Emma nodded her head and squeezed her shoulder. She made a note to ask Ruby later what exactly her motives with the traumatized woman were.

"Hey Emma?" Ruby called, and the sheriff stopped. "When Henry and I leave tonight, do you think it would be okay for Belle to come with us?" Her large hopeful eyes nearly melted Emma's heart with their pathetic pleading. Emma no longer needed to ask Ruby about her intentions. The young wolf was absolutely smitten with the new girl in town.

"I'm sure that's not a problem," Emma smiled, anxious to return to Regina and Henry. Ruby smiled and giggled at the response as her eyes slid back to Belle's.

"See, I told you she'd be cool with it," Ruby bragged triumphantly.

Emma rolled her eyes and moved through the empty dining to the backroom that held the remainder of her family. Her stomach growled and grumbled at the sight of a gigantic double bacon cheese burger and a double order of fries sitting at the end of the table near the arm chair. Regina glanced between Emma's ravenous eyes and the ridiculous amount of food waiting for the sheriff.

"I ordered you lunch," Regina explained simply.

Emma tossed her the key to the library and plopped in front of her food. She moaned into the burger as she shoved the first bite into her mouth. She squished it to make it fit. Regina eyed her wearily, praying that Emma actually finished this meal before losing her temper or being called away by another frantic citizen.

"Where's Henry?" Emma asked around her food. Regina sighed but failed to muster the heart to berate the woman for her lack of manners, not when Emma was clearly enjoying the desperately needed calories in her mouth.

"He's in the kitchen with Granny spying on Ruby and Belle, something about his storybook being ruined." Regina shrugged, unsure what he meant.

"Oh, yeah, Ruby totally has the hots for Belle," Emma said casually and popped a fry into her mouth.

"Indeed?" Regina's surprise amused Emma, but she said nothing as she tore off another hunk of the huge burger in her mouth.

Regina's gaze fell to the key in her hands. She turned it over and over, her hands trembling harder with each passing second. She only looked up again when Emma's hand covered her own. Concerned green eyes asked her why the key was so important, and she sighed.

"Belle," she answered as if it explained everything.

"What about her?" Emma asked and brushed her thumb over Regina's knuckles.

Regina stayed quiet, and Emma figured that she'd get no further explanation, so she returned to her lunch, an eye on her food and an eye on Regina. She was down to only a handful of fries before Regina spoke again.

"She likes books. The library has an apartment above. I thought perhaps she could live there and open the library when she was ready." Regina explained with a strained voice. The conversation with Archie played over in Emma's mind. Regina was making amends the best way she knew how.

"Would you fetch her for me? I'd like to give it to her. I can wait until you finish your lunch if you'd prefer." Regina's wide eyes pleaded with Emma.

Emma nodded and scrambled towards the dining room, fries forgotten, before Regina changed her mind. She'd been full 10 fries ago anyway. This conversation was going to suck in the worst way, but she wanted Regina to have it. Emma waved Ruby over to her and quickly explained the situation. The girl listened intently with wide eyes and then nodded. Belle had taken an instant liking to Ruby, and Regina's former prisoner would need her support after coming face to face with her tormentor.

"Belle, would you come with me please?" Emma asked gently. Belle nodded even if her eyes were wild with confusion.

"I think we found a permanent solution to your living situation." Emma soothed the girl's fears, and Belle's eyes brightened.

She took two steps before glancing over her shoulder to ensure Ruby followed and then walked at Emma's side to probably the hardest conversation of her life. Regina stood beside the sofa, smoothing the wrinkles in her clothes as they rounded the corner. Belle stopped abruptly and simply stared at the older woman.

"You," she said in a disturbingly low and calm voice.

"Hello Belle," Regina responded, unaffected by Belle's outburst.

"What kind of trick is this?" She whirled on Emma, but Ruby stepped between them and grabbed Belle's shoulders.

"It's not what you think, Belle. Mayor… Regina is trying to help you. Will you at least hear her out?" The effect of Ruby's voice on the distraught woman was visible. She trusted Ruby even if she no longer trusted Emma.

"Do you know what she did to me?" Belle seethed, tears of rage spilling onto her cheeks.

"I know enough to know that it was awful, and when you're ready, I'd like to hear the rest of your story. When you're ready," Ruby emphasized. "Will you at least listen to what she has to say?"

Belle nodded and then turned towards Regina. She pressed back into Ruby who rubbed her shoulders and arms soothingly, just enough to reassure the other woman that she was still there and supporting her.

"Belle, I… I'm sorry. That doesn't mean anything to you, I know, and I won't make a pretty speech about redemption and forgiveness because I know that is probably not possible. Of all the things I've done, your punishment was probably the worst of them all." Regina took a shaky breath and extended the key towards Belle.

"It doesn't come close to repaying the debt I owe you for my cruelty, but I hope you will accept it all the same." Regina stayed perfectly still so as not to spook the girl as she took two steps forward to claim the key in the mayor's hand.

Belle flinched when her fingertips touched Regina's hand, and she snatched the key away quickly and retreated to Ruby. Emma held her breath as Belle turned the key over and read the label.

"A key to the library?" Belle asked a little breathlessly. Regina nodded.

"It's been closed for years. The town can't pay you much, but it will be enough to live comfortably. There is a modest living space on the second floor. It's yours." Regina finished without further explanation.

Belle studied Regina with hardened eyes, unsure how to respond to the generous offer.

"Why?" She said finally.

"I'm likely to be dead soon, and I'd like to rectify as many mistakes as possible before then," Regina answered honestly as her shoulders rose in a weak shrug and then fell in defeat. "I'll speak with Stacy as soon as possible and ensure that you are added to the city payroll."

"Thank you," Belle said quietly. "I'll never forgive you, but thank you."

"Forgiveness matters very little when a soul is already damned," Regina responded almost inaudibly.

"Regina." Emma reached for the older woman, but Regina stiffened and stepped away from her hands.

"Miss Lucas, I believe it is time for you to return to the woods with my son," Regina's tone hardened, but the other three women only stared at her with compassion, even Belle. No one feared the evil queen anymore.

"If you're sure," Ruby spoke first. "Do you want to say goodbye?"

"No. You can if you'd like, Miss Swan. I'll wait for you by the door." Regina brushed passed the others in the room.

"Tell Henry that we love him and that we'll see him soon. Keep him safe," Emma tossed at Ruby who nodded and straightened her spine, and then scrambled to catch up to Regina.

As promised, Regina leaned against the back exit, arms crossed over her chest protectively. Her eyes were hollow. Emma said nothing as they exited together. What could you possibly say to a person in a moment like this? They headed towards the station, but Emma grabbed her arm and directed Regina to her cruiser before they reached the doors. Regina allowed Emma to pull her around without so much as a glare or huff.

The drive to the Mills mansion passed quickly, and when the front door closed behind them, Regina seemed to breathe a little easier. Emma was exhausted after their brief but tense meeting with Belle and was done for the day and simply wanted to relax. She'd rescued a damsel in distress, sparked a new and unlikely romance, started the ball rolling on putting the town back together, and facilitated a meeting between Regina and someone she'd wronged terribly. On top of that, she'd been able to spend a few hours with her son. It had been a productive day, and she had nothing left to offer the citizens of Storybrooke, not when the rest of her mental reserves would be focused on Regina the rest of the evening.

"Regina, what happened with Belle?" Emma pressed now that they were tucked away in the safety of Regina's home.

"None of your concern, Miss Swan," Regina seethed and stomped towards the kitchen. Emma followed and watched her struggle with a bottle of red wine.

"It is my concern, Regina. You wanted me to know your damn story, then tell it to me." Emma nearly yelled in frustration.

"I change my mind. Leave me alone," Regina sniped as she retreated towards her study with the entire bottle and a single glass.

"No!" Emma slammed her hands on the counter and ignored the pain reverberating in her joints. "This is my concern. If you keep casually tossing out death wishes like candy in a parade, someone is eventually going to fulfill it. Do you want to die, Regina?" Emma fixed her hard eyes on the woman's back as she paused in the door across the room.

Regina turned slowly, a sneer on her lips but remained quiet. "Do you want to die?" Emma repeated, and Regina smiled that same predatory smile she used when she knew her words would hurt the most. Emma had seen it more than once, and it was usually aimed at her.

"Yes," Regina hissed. "Care to oblige me, Savior?" Emma flinched at the words, knowing that Regina was intentionally pushing her away, but the sting hit its mark in Emma's chest all the same.

"No, but I do want you to get the hell off your cross and talk to me like a normal human being. I know there's one somewhere inside The Evil Queen." Emma bit back, watching Regina carefully for a reaction.

There was none. She simply turned on her heal and stomped into her study. The sound of the door slamming followed a few seconds later. Emma closed her eyes slowly as the reality of what she'd just done washed over her. She stared at her hands, slowly forcing her mind to accept the mess she'd just made. Her confidence shattered, she slunk to the living room and collapsed into one of plushy leather sofas. She knew she should probably have checked on Regina, made sure the older woman wouldn't harm herself, but she had to trust that Regina could be left unattended for ten minutes.

Ten minutes turned into four hours when Emma slipped into a turbulent sleep. She woke suddenly in the darkness to find Regina kneeling beside the sofa. The obviously drunk woman stroked her hand until Emma fully roused and sat up. She expected Regina to move away, but the former queen situated herself between Emma's knees and gripped her legs painfully.

The tang of wine hung between them, and Emma wondered just how much Regina had drunk. She really should have checked on her or at least hidden the cork screw. She squinted through the darkness, trying to decipher Regina's facial expressions, but all she saw were shadows and partial profiles.

"I didn't simply lock her away. I tortured her," Regina admitted in the darkness. Her words were thick and sluggish with alcohol, but she hadn't slurred, so Emma assumed she was completely fine. She tipped her face upwards, the vein on her forehead jutting out like a beacon, displaying her upheaval for all to see even if her features remained placid.

"Regina, you don't have to," Emma murmured, completely freaked out by Regina's openness, her calm. Raging Regina was easily dealt with either by fighting or ignoring as she'd done earlier, but calm, quiet Regina was something else entirely.

"I want to, Emma, and if you're still here in the morning, then I'll have my answer." Regina gripped her legs tighter and scooted closer, completely ignoring her stitches which would surely would ache in the morning.

"For the first week, I gave her nothing to eat," Regina continued before Emma could ask exactly what answers she was searching for.

"She's a resourceful brat," Regina seethed. "She ate the straw on the floor and caught rainwater from her window in her blanket. When I realized that she'd outsmarted me, I gave her a feast, told her she earned it by surviving. She was grateful at first… before she realized that I would make her work for her dinner. If she picked up a spoon, I made it burn her skin. The roast turned to ash when she touched it. It was cruel. She'd done nothing to me, but I wanted her to hurt because I knew it would destroy him if he ever found out. Killing her would have been a kindness, but I needed her alive as a bargaining chip against Rumpelstiltskin. She was one of many pawns in our sick power struggle. It went on like for months, tricking her with little things for my amusement, and then… I crossed so many lines, but this one might be the only one I truly regret.

_Belle huddled in the corner and hugged her knees to her chest. She'd stopped crying weeks ago, realizing that it would do no good. Her captor had no soul, and therefore felt nothing but pleasure when she saw her tears. The door creaked, but she never bothered to look up, knowing that her only visitor was The Evil Queen. _

"_Belle?" Rumpel's voice broke through her mind like a balm, and she spared a glance._

"_Rumpel? You found me!" She leapt into his arms. He was real, and he had come for her like she prayed he would._

"_Of course, Love," he whispered into her hair. "She's gone. She'll not hurt you again," he vowed as he pulled back to gaze into her eyes._

_She smiled up at him and accepted his mouth against hers hungrily. She'd missed him, and she felt no hesitation as his hands roamed her body. She'd longed for his touch so desperately, and now that she felt it once more, she never wanted him to stop. He laid her on the blankets that had been used as her bed. She gasped and shuddered against him as he forcefully claimed her lips, nipped at her neck and chest. He'd never been quite so insistent in his physical advances before, but she thought nothing of it. She wanted this. She wanted him. She wanted to consummate their love, married or not. _

"_I'll never let you go again," he whispered against her throat, and she shuddered at the vibration of his voice. _

"_I'll never leave again," Belle promised and clutched at his back. "Is she truly gone?"_

"_She is… detained. I'll put her somewhere later, a place where she'll never be able to hurt another soul," he gazed into her eyes and brushed her hair from her face._

"_Oh Rumpel," Belle swooned and pulled his lips to hers in a heated kiss. _

_He pulled her ragged dress up her thighs and brushed his knuckles over the wiry hair between her legs. She groaned deeply and clutched at his shoulders. She was hot and wet for him already, but he decided to take his time despite his growing passion._

"_Her guards didn't…" He left the question hanging, and Belle shook her head quickly._

"_They never touched me. No one's touched me but you," she smiled up at him. _

_He grinned at her innocence and kissed her slowly as he slid his thumb over the sensitive nub. She squirmed beneath his hand, and he allowed her to adjust to the new sensations erupting beneath her skin before slipping one finger inside her tight walls. She gasped and bucked against his finger as the sensation of being entered for the first time tore through her body. Again, he paused with his finger buried to the knuckle as she adjusted._

_His lips grazed over her chest as he pulled her dress down, and then he captured a nipple in his mouth. She gasped, and he began pumping slowly inside of her, adding another finger before gradually increasing the pace. She moaned and bucked beneath his skilled hands. She was close. He felt it._

"_Oh Rumpel. Rumpel, tell me… tell me you love me," Belle panted brokenly. She was pulling apart form the inside out, and she needed to hear his voice. He grunted as her walls clenched around his fingers._

"_Rumpel's not home, Sweetheart," a raspy female voice slithered across her throat, but Belle couldn't stop herself from tumbling over the edge and into oblivion._

_Her orgasm crashed into her, and Regina pulled back to stare into her horrified eyes as her body and mind warred for control. Belle's wanted to enjoy what Regina had just given her, but her mind refused to reconcile the pleasure with woman laying next to her. When Belle's tight velvet walls clenched around her again, Regina grinned gleefully._

"_No," Belle uttered, tears in her voice. "No! Get away from me!" She shoved at Regina's shoulders, and her fingers pulled free with a slurping pop. _

_The girl wobbled away on shaking legs while Regina reclined on an elbow and smirked up at her. Belle pulled at her clothes and wiped at her mouth and neck, but Regina's love marked remained against her skin in a dark purple hue. _

"_Did you honestly think he'd come for you, Dear?" Regina mocked, heart pounding as she watched the destruction she'd just inflicted. If he did come, the woman he'd loved would only be a shell of who she used to be by the time she finished with her._

Emma knew she was breathing heavily but could do nothing to stop it. She'd known that Regina had done terrible things, but she'd never imagine this. Regina still gripped her thighs tightly, head bowed as she waited for Emma to process what she'd just confided. Emma blinked rapidly and tried to take a deep breath. Finally, she covered Regina's hands, and the older woman raised her head to search Emma's darkened face.

Tears dripped from Emma's chin, but neither moved to catch them. They simply stared at each other for the longest time. Regina spoke first.

"I understand if you want to leave," she said quietly, her voice tight with unshed tears of her own.

"I…" Emma started and then bit her bottom lip as more tears spilled onto her cheeks.

"I'm not leaving you, Regina," Emma whispered when her tears subsided, and Regina's hands clenched painfully. "But I do need time to process this. Can you give me that?"

"I'd give you anything, Emma Swan," Regina confessed in a hushed, breathy tone that caught Emma off guard. It was the guilt and the alcohol talking, Emma told herself.

"Okay. I'm… Well, I would say that I'm going back to sleep, but I'm not sure that I could now." Emma admitted. It was the first time she viewed Regina as the monster that everyone kept telling her that she was, and Emma wasn't certain she'd ever sleep peacefully in Regina's presence again.

"Do you want some pie?" Regina asked suddenly, and Emma almost laughed at the off-the-wall question.

"Granny made me one," Regina nodded towards the kitchen, clearly making an effort to abandon the current topic and respect Emma's wish for time.

"Okay," Emma said simply. How could she refuse when Regina was trying so hard?

"Stay here. There's a _Golden Girls _marathon on channel 54 every night at this time if you want to watch television," Regina pointed at the large flat screen T.V. hanging on the wall and then disappeared from the room.

She might have laughed before upon discovering that Regina was a fan of the sitcom, but the bile in her throat reminded her of the crime that Regina had just confessed. Granny's apple pie was the last thing she wanted right now, but Regina seemed to find comfort in constantly serving her food, so she determined to at least try.

Robotically, she crossed to the T.V. and snagged the remote, illuminating the room in a blue glow as the screen flickered to life. She set it to the right channel just as Regina reentered the room with two plates and forks in her hands. She set them both on the marble coffee table and then disappeared again. Emma plopped in front of a plate but didn't touch it. A few minutes later, Regina returned, hefting an armful of neatly folded blankets and pillows. She sat two pillows and a blanket beside Emma and then tossed the rest onto the other sofa before following them to where she'd set her plate.

Emma wanted to say something, but no words formulated in her hazy mind so she cut into the pie and shoved a piece in her mouth. It might have been delicious if she hadn't have the tangy taste of acid on her tongue. She studied Regina, but the other woman offered her no comfort or guidance for her thoughts. She simply stared at the television and chewed her food. Emma wasn't certain the former royal was actually absorbing the plot of the episode or tasting the food, but she went through the motions, so Emma mimicked them.

Eventually, due to sheer exhaustion or acceptance of Regina's earlier confession, Emma nodded off to the prompted laughter of the live audience on the television. Regina covered the slumbering sheriff carefully and then resumed her perch on the other sofa. She refused sleep that night and instead watched over Emma for any sign of disturbance on the sheriff's face. She'd just relived one nightmare. Sleep would only bring more. Protecting Emma from her thoughts was definitely the best option.


	8. If Coffee Could Speak

Greetings, Sweet Doves! So, this one is rather short, but the previous and next chapter are too dense as it is, so I decided to give it its very own chapter. I would have posted it last night, but I needed to clean a few things. It is my gift to you as the next two chapters require a bit more maneuvering and consideration than most, so it will probably be a few days before they are ready for viewing. Plus, I am overseeing the training of a new night auditor at work, so I must begrudgingly give my time to numbers and percentages rather than words and will not have the luxury of my downtime this week for writing.

Enjoy, Lovelies, and much gratitude for the reviews and follows!

Song: Snuff by Slipknot.

* * *

Emma groaned as her bare back ripped away from the leather sofa as she rolled over. Her shirt must have slid up during the night. She flipped the blanket over the back of the couch and sat up, scooting and pulling at her jeans until they twisted back into place. She picked at the corners of her eyes, removing the crust stuck there, and then glanced over to the other sofa. Regina wasn't there, and Emma's heart clenched painfully. Had the mayor run away in the middle of the night?

She cursed herself and grabbed her gun from the coffee table. She paused only to slip into her boots and then was off through the house like a shot.

"Regina!" She called and squinted into the bright sunlight peeping through the windows. Something banged in the kitchen, and Emma jumped before sprinting towards the room. She skidded to a stop on the ceramic tile, weapon aimed but her finger carefully placed away from the trigger.

Regina gasped softly and dropped the tongs in her hand as she raised them both to shoulder. She still wore the rumpled clothing she'd had on yesterday, and her brown eyes were wide with fear and surprise and moved back and forth between Emma's face and the gun pointed at her chest. Emma would be the one to kill her after all, then. When Regina closed her eyes, a tear slipped down her cheek. She lowered her hands and held her arms out to her side, gracefully accepting her fate. She should have said goodbye to Henry yesterday.

"Regina, what the hell are you doing?" Emma asked as she holstered her weapon. Had Regina truly believed she was about to shoot her?

"Dying with dignity?" Regina's eyes opened in confusion when the shot never came. Emma stared at her with raised eyebrows, wide eyes and crossed arms.

"You aren't executing me? Why aren't you executing me?" Regina blurted, eyes flicking to the gun now safely tucked away and then back to Emma's eyes.

"It's too early for an execution," Emma joked and shrugged her shoulders. At Regina's unbelieving eyes, she continued, "I heard something in the kitchen. You were gone. I was just being cautious." Emma explained as she collapsed onto a stool at the island and propped her head on her hand.

"Oh," was the only response Regina gave and then moved to the coffee pot. She sat a steaming mug in front of Emma and then turned back to the stove.

"I made you bacon and eggs. I wasn't sure how you liked your eggs. So, scrambled." Regina uncovered a plate on the back of the stove and sat it in front of Emma. The portions of food were huge, and Emma raised her eyes in question. Regina simply turned her back and switched off a burner, dishing out her much smaller serving onto another plate.

"Do you want toast?" Regina asked when she sat her plate on the island on the opposite side from Emma. Was she going to stand and eat?

"Uhh, I think this is more than enough." Emma crunched happily into a piece of bacon. It was extra crispy, and she sighed into its salty bliss.

Regina daintily cut into her omelet and lifted her fork to her mouth. She only had two pieces of bacon on her plate, still almost white in color. They would be chewy as hell, Emma thought. Regina said nothing at Emma's questioning expression, and the blonde took a moment to study Regina's face. Pronounced purple circles rimmed her eyes, and the life lines around Regina's eyes and mouth seemed deeper, harsher. She was still beautiful in her obviously exhausted and makeup-less state, but she'd always been stunning. No, there was something different, something very human about her appearance this morning, something very touchable.

"Regina, I need to talk to you about something," Emma said suddenly around her eggs, and Regina sighed in frustration.

"Swallow first, Miss Swan. I would very much like never to see your half-masticated breakfast again." Regina berated, and Emma smiled.

It wasn't perfect, but if Regina was bitching at her, it meant that she felt secure enough to do so. She realized that Emma wasn't leaving, not even after her late night, drunken confession of rape and torture. Emma dutifully swallowed her eggs and then rinsed her mouth with burning coffee before continuing.

"I ran into Archie yesterday when I went to your office. He asked me to speak with you about possibly seeing him." Emma's hands paused as her eyes searched Regina's face for any indication of emotion. There was none, but Regina stopped fussing with her omelet for a pregnant stretch.

"I'd like that," Regina finally said and then turned her eyes back to her food. "I assume he told you that I have been seeing him for a while now?"

"He was worried about you. I won't tell anyone," Emma gushed, preparing for the backlash of the perceived betrayal.

"It's quite alright, Miss Swan." Regina reassured despite the hard edge in her voice. She raised her dark eyes to Emma's, and the quietly tense moment stretched on.

Emma jerked when her cell phone destroyed whatever they had been sharing. Emma stood and fished it out of her back pocket. Skinny jeans: good for keeping your phone where it is supposed to be while you crashed on the evil queen's insanely comfortable leather sofa.

"Sheriff Swan," her voice was thick as the adrenaline of their staring contest faded away. She propped one hand on the edge of the island and cocked her hip to one side.

"Oh hey Stacy. No, no it's not too early. I'm just having breakfast." Emma listened, and Regina quietly finished her breakfast as she watched the different emotions playing across the sheriff's face.

"That's great. Yeah, I'll be down as soon as I can. Tell Marco he's amazing for me," Emma smiled.

"Miss Swan?" Emma glanced at Regina's outstretched hand with scrunched eyebrows.

"Hey Stacy, hold on a second. Regina wants to talk to you." She jerked the phone from her ear as Stacy's excited squeal echoed through the kitchen. "I think she's excited." Emma deadpanned, and Regina rolled her eyes knowingly.

"Stacy?" Regina said as she pressed the phone to her ear. "Eat," Regina ordered, and Emma dutifully resumed her perch on the stool, absently munching bacon as she watched Regina interact with her assistant. It's something, she realized, that she'd never seen Regina do before.

"Calm yourself, Miss Cochran," Regina snipped and then waited impatiently for the secretary to settle.

"Yes, Dear, I am fine. Sheriff Swan has performed her job impeccably. Now, I need you to draw some papers up for me. Yes. Her name is Belle French. She will be our new librarian. Yes, those are the correct funds. She will reside in the loft above the library. No, that's not necessary. She already has the keys. When Sheriff Swan and I arrive, we'll pick up the contract and obtain Miss French's signature and return them as soon as possible." Regina smiled at something Stacy said.

"There's one more thing, Miss Cochran." Regina eyed Emma and then turned towards the stove.

"I will surely be asked to step down as Mayor. Before that happens, I intend to resign. According to the town charter, I may appoint an acting mayor in my stead if I should resign for any reason. If you are willing, I would like to appoint you. You're the only one who knows how the office is run, and with your effort of caring for the refugees, I am certain the rapport you've built will afford you little resistance."

"Yes, you should send out the word for an emergency town meeting. We need to reach as many people as possible with this information. You can do this, Stacy." Regina encouraged the young woman. It was a huge responsibility she'd asked the maid to undertake, but Regina's confidence in the woman who had been loyal to her for decades never wavered for a second.

"Absolutely, we'll see you in two hours," Regina confirmed and then snapped the phone shut. She set in on the counter as she turned around and slid it towards Emma.

"That took a lot of guts," Emma commented, keeping her voice as even and casual as possible even though her heart pounded in her ears. She swallowed some more bacon and then hid behind her coffee cup, hoping Regina missed her heightened emotions.

"She is the logical choice in the absence of Snow White and Prince Charming. We need to tell them before this gets out of control. They'll listen to you if you endorse Stacy," Regina thought aloud and then hid behind her own coffee cup.

"I'm not sure I can do this," Emma admitted quietly.

Without thinking, Regina reached across the island and touched Emma's hand in silent support. Emma jerked back, coffee cup tipping over and clattering against the marble counter in her effort to remove Regina's touch from her skin. Belle's haunted blue eyes as she clung to the sheriff in the dusty mines flashed through Emma's mind as she slipped from the stool and struggled to regain her balance. Regina snatched her hand away, hips hitting the counter painfully as she forced her body as far from Emma's as she could get.

Guilty brown eyes met green and held them. Emma's spilled coffee spread over marble and dripped onto the floor. Neither moved to clean it, simply staring at each other. Emma's reaction to her touch had been unexpected and painful, but Regina felt she deserved it. Emma wouldn't leave her, of that she was certain, but she had also lost any physical comfort the sheriff may have offered in the future. She was a monster, and Emma finally saw it, too.

Sadly, Regina dropped her gaze to the sticky mess in her immaculate kitchen. Pulling a towel from the oven door handle, she stepped forward and righted the fallen cup. Emma's rejection hurt, and she swallowed her anguish as she mopped up the dark brown liquid. Emma only watched her as she calmed her racing heart. Regina rung out the towel at the sink and then ran water over it. The _plop, thunk_ of water hitting stainless steel as she twisted the towel seemed unreasonably loud in the quiet kitchen.

Her eyes followed Regina as she swiped the wet towel across marble and tile, removing any sticky remnants, before she snagged the carafe of coffee from its hot plate and refilled her cup. Finally, with nothing left to do, her eyes returned to Emma's.

"Finish you breakfast," she said gently. "I'm going shower. You can put your dishes in the dishwasher, or just leave them, and I'll get to them after you've finished breakfast." She limped from the room without waiting for a response.

Her gimp was much more pronounced than it had been yesterday, and Emma wondered if she had pulled some stitches last night during her drunkenness. She made a mental note to call Granny later and ask her to check them, knowing Regina wouldn't ask for help from her now.

Emma really wanted to beat herself up for her overreaction but didn't. She had asked Regina for time to deal with the firsthand knowledge of her dark deeds. What she'd done to Belle had nothing to do with magic. It spoke of something far more sinister within the soon-to-be former mayor. While Emma desperately wanted to reconcile Regina's evil deeds with the seemingly gentle and broken woman who had made her breakfast and raised her son, she couldn't. Not yet, anyway, maybe not ever, but she'd made a promise to Regina and to Henry. She refused to allow any harm to befall the older woman if she could prevent it. That didn't mean she had to be comfortable with Regina's touch, and certainly didn't mean she was obligated to reciprocate.

She returned to the stool and stared at her half-empty plate. The strong scent of bacon made her stomach roil and clench so she pushed the plate away in disgust. She sipped at her coffee and stared into the black liquid for the answers she knew she wouldn't find. Was a broken savior strong enough to save a broken evil queen?


	9. Hello Deputy

I need a huge favor, My Doves! Apparently, it is not acceptable to my partner to mess with my sleep schedule as much as I have in the past week to stay up writing, which is exactly what I did today even though I told you I wasn't and knew I'd get the stink eye. Can you leave me some love and tell me what your favorite part is so far? I plan on showing them to her and hopefully getting a kiss soon. ;)

That said, thank you for all the wonderful reviews and the follows! Enjoy, Lovelies!

Songs: Mz. Hyde by Halestorm, Snuff by Slipknot

* * *

Regina returned to find Emma staring into her empty coffee cup and sighed at the food left on Emma's plate. She'd managed to upset her again, and again the sheriff hadn't eaten a proper meal. Emma glanced up at the sound, startled. Regina had donned full-blown mayor regalia, black dress that stopped just above her knees, black nylons and at least 5 inch black stilettos. Her hair blow dried and styled, and any trace of her earlier exhaustion covered by carefully applied makeup.

"Shall we journey to Snow's hovel so that you may shower and change before the meeting? You won't inspire much confidence if you look and smell like a kitten in a dumpster," Regina instructed her in the ways of leadership.

Emma acquiesced silently and walked towards the front door behind the mayor. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides as she tried to control her painful limp, but she said nothing. She'd most definitely injured herself last night. They'd deal with it later. Right now, Regina needed to feel in control, and submitting to the care she needed would have stripped that away from her.

They both remained silent. Regina gracefully sank to the bench at the table, but the relief of being off her legs was clearly visible in the softening of her face. Emma ignored it and thumped up the stairs. Her preparation hadn't required nearly as much time as Regina's, and within 30 minutes, she slipped her gun into its holster at her hip. She'd chosen a black button-up shirt and a light denim pair of jeans. She fingered her red jacket, deciding whether Regina would approve, and then slipped into it.

She dabbed her hair one more time with the damp towel and jerked her fingers through the knots and tangles. It would have to do. She had no luxury to look her best, like Regina. She didn't know jack about being a leader, but she knew that she needed to be comfortable and in clothing that would allow her to move freely if need be. She sighed and returned downstairs. They only had 20 minutes to get to Town Hall, and Emma certainly didn't want to make a late appearance, not for this.

They slipped in the back entrance to avoid the crowd and bumped directly into Stacy and Ruby in hushed conversation.

"Ruby?" Emma blurted. It was the first time she'd spoken since Regina touched her this morning, and her voice scratched against the lack of use and high coffee consumption.

"Hey, Emma, Regina," she nodded at the two women. "We decided to stay at the library last night. I hope that's okay. Belle was excited to see her new apartment," she grinned as red crept up her neck. "Don't worry. Henry is fine. Granny called me after Stacy announced the emergency meeting and asked me to come. Henry and Belle are with her at the diner. He's fine," she reassured the two mothers anxiously.

"It's okay, Rubes. I'm actually glad you're here. I need a deputy right now because this might just turn into a gigantic shit sandwich if things go sideways." Emma clapped her on the shoulder as Regina wrinkled her nose at Emma's lack of grace with words.

"Eloquent rhetoric, Dear," she muttered. "Please do better when you address your people. Are you ready, Miss Cochran?" Regina turned her attention to the silent and slightly ashen redhead. The girl was terrified about what was going to happen in a few minutes.

"Do you really think I can do this, Queen Regina?" The title slipped out naturally, but instead of anger, Regina offered her a small smile and took her shaking shoulders in her hands.

"Indeed, I do, but first, we need to inform you of some events," Regina glanced at Emma who nodded. "Snow White and her idi… her prince were sucked into another realm by the portal we sent the wraith into. Emma and I have been working to find a way to open another one to get them back but have been unsuccessful as of yet. People will start asking questions about their absence before long, so we decided that perhaps you should be the one to tell them, to save yourself the hassle of word getting out. You need them to trust you, and honesty is the best way to achieve that." Regina calmly instructed the girl who clung to her every word. Emma felt a smile tugging at her lips; Regina hadn't been all bad.

"I'll do my best, Queen Regina," Stacy straightened her spine and squared her shoulders, and Regina's face fell at the girl's youthful innocence.

"Regina will do just fine, Miss Cochran. Just Regina. I'll guide you when you get stuck. I'm only a phone call away for advice." The dark woman smiled lovingly at her former servant, and Emma thought for a moment that she might even hug her. Archie broke the moment when he poked his head around the corner.

"Everyone ready?" He asked, eyes furrowed as he studied the women, no doubt feeling out their moods and reading their body language.

With one last look to Regina, Stacy nodded. "We're ready, Archie." She smiled shyly at the man and took his offered arm, accepting his escort to the stage happily. Red and Emma exchanged an amused look at the obvious connection between the psychologist and the new mayor and then followed behind Regina.

The crowd turned out to be much more massive than either Regina or Emma anticipated. More than half the town must have packed into the small meeting hall, and all of the cots and supplies were shoved against the walls to make room. The cacophonous sound echoed off the walls and assaulted their ears when they reached the wing of the stage. It hushed almost immediately, however, when Regina entered, back straight and head held high. Emma knew it was merely an act.

Archie and Stacy crossed to the left side of the podium, Ruby stood slightly in front of Regina on the right. They all looked expectantly at Emma, except Ruby who diligently scanned the crowd for any sign of a threat. Ruby most definitely wasn't deputy material, but perhaps Red was, Emma thought as she stepped up to the microphone.

"Hi everyone," Emma started awkwardly. "Thank you for coming on such short notice, but there are things that need to be addressed. First, thank you to Marco and all of the volunteers for agreeing to help with the repairs to the town. The City of Storybrooke will assist with the costs of supplies, so please don't fret." Regina cleared her throat and glared at the sheriff who shrugged sheepishly at her generous offer.

"Secondly, Regina has offered to resign her post as mayor with the stipulation that the town charter be followed. For those of you who don't know, if the mayor resigns for any reason, he or she may appoint their replacement until the next election."

Whispers spread through the crowd, and Emma glanced at Regina unsure of her next move. Regina nodded for her to continue.

"That said, we… I decided that her replacement should be someone who understands the inner workings of the position and also someone who cares deeply for the citizens of Storybrooke and who doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. So, it is my great pleasure to present the new acting mayor of Storybrooke, Stacy Cochran." Emma finished, and Regina nodded in satisfaction. Emma had a certain gruffness, but with some guidance, she could certainly learn quickly how to be a sovereign.

"We want Snow White!" Someone yelled from the back, and Emma recognized the voice as Leroy's. A few other folks voiced their approval of his choice, and Emma could have slapped the angry man.

"People, please!" Stacy implored as she stepped up to the mic. "I understand your hesitance to Regina's choice. I do, but there is something that you don't know. Prince Charming and Snow White have disappeared." Shocked gasps tore through the crowd.

"The Evil Queen killed them!" Someone shouted. "Yeah!" "Kill the queen!"

"No!" Stacy ordered forcefully, and Regina raise her eyebrows in surprise. She'd always known the girl had fire in her.

"Snow and James fell through a portal to another realm while fighting the wraith that ripped apart our town, a wraith that was summoned here by Rumpelstiltskin, not Que… not Regina," Stacy stuttered but recovered quickly.

"Sheriff Swan and Regina have been trying to find a way to bring them back. People please!" Stacy held her hands up as a barrage of question flew in her direction.

"I don't know if the Enchanted Forest still exists. It is something Sheriff Swan is trying to determine. We aren't even certain that was where they were sent. Even if it does, there is no guarantee that we would all be able to return. Please be patient while they try and figure it out." The crowd quieted once more, and Regina smiled at her apprentice. After watching her run this town for 28 years, Stacy had become quite the orator.

"She should be locked up!" A man shouted about three rows back, and Emma recognized him as Gaston, Belle's betrothed… err, ex-betrothed as of yesterday. "How do we know she hasn't taken the savior's heart and is controlling her?" The people rallied again, and Emma rolled her eyes. They'd almost made it out and now were forced to start all over again.

"Why would she let us go home when she cursed us to this land in the first place?" He continued, and the crowd burst again with an outraged cry. Emma finally understood Regina's annoyance with peasants. They'd follow the loudest voice laced with conviction.

"I say we kill The Evil Queen!" Another cheer.

Ruby tensed when Regina stepped around her to glare at the man, a snarl in her throat. She'd never cared much for Regina, but after witnessing the changes in her since the curse broke, she realized that she'd been wrong about her. She'd defend her as she would Snow White if she needed to now that her supernatural wolf strength had returned.

Emma saw the glint of black steel in the man's hands and pulled Ruby back from the edge of the stage. Taking advantage of her surprise, she forced her to the floor behind the podium. Her eyes locked with Regina's as the former mayor realized what was happening. Horror flashed through brown eyes as Emma inserted herself between Regina and the bullet that tore through the air from Gaston's pistol.

"Emma no!" Regina's scream mingled with the blast of gun powder. It echoed off the stone walls, confiding to everyone in the room her depth of emotion for the savior that had just been cut down.

Everyone froze, including Gaston, gun lowered a few inches as the weight of his actions settled onto his shoulders.

Emma glanced around the crowd, not having felt the pain she expected. Archie held Stacy in his arms, shielding her from the crowd with his body, and she clung tightly to his jacket. Ruby's mouth hung open, eyes wide, chest heaving. She turned finally to check Regina, maybe she hadn't been quick enough. Had she been shot? Regina's eyes, too, were wide with shock, but she was unharmed. Had he missed completely? Finally, a burn in Emma's stomach caught her attention, but she hadn't time to look as she fell forward into Regina's arms.

Regina broke Emma's fall as best she could but struggled beneath her weight. Ruby was at her side in an instant, helping the older woman to lower the sheriff to the ground. Her gaze quickly jerked to Gaston, eyes glowing wolf yellow with rage.

"Emma, no, no no. Emma, please," Regina pleaded as Emma's eyes slipped shut and the color drained from her face.

She knew that look. It was the look of death. She broke. Her eyes followed Ruby's to the man who had injured the vibrant sheriff, violet eyes full of rage.

Before she blinked, those in the front row of the crowd flew backwards as Regina's hand flew out towards Gaston. She made a gripping motion with her hand, and the man grabbed at his thick neck in an effort to remove the non corporeal threat squeezing the breath from him. She stood and aimed her other hand at a few brave souls rushing the stage, sneering as they flew back into the waiting arms of their terrified friends and family.

"Gold!" She called when she reached the edge of the stage. "Rumpelstiltskin, where are you, you bastard!"

Gaston choked and sputtered. Gold raised an eyebrow at him as he stepped forward but said nothing.

"Heal her," Regina ordered, and Gold leaned on his cane clearly not moved by her demands.

"Please," Regina faltered. "Please, I'll give you anything, just… don't let her die." Regina knew she was begging, but she only cared about saving Emma. She'd never learned how to heal people, only hurt them.

Gold grinned up at her, enjoying her grief. Bastard. "No," he said simply and then turned, walking calmly through the parting crowd towards the door.

"Gold!" Regina screamed, but he never even paused. "Rumpelstiltskin! You bastard!" Her voice broke, hollowed in her rage, and the crowd shied away from the stage as it echoed in the silence, save Gaston's sputtering.

Regina spread the fingers of her free hand, and more people flew away from the stage. She made a fist, and the doors banged shut. Leroy pushed against them, but he was no match for Regina's magic. People screamed when flames ignited above their heads. Regina would burn this town to the ground and then take her son and leave forever.

"Regina," a quiet strangled voice called behind her, and the flames halted their descent into the crowd. "Stop," Emma's small, ragged voice pleaded with her. "Don't let them," Emma wheezed with the effort of speaking, "make you a monster again." She finished valiantly and then collapsed back against the cool floor.

Regina whipped around to find green eyes pleading with her, fighting to remain open. Gaston fell to the floor gasping as she lost her focus, but the flames continued to crackle and burn hotly. Slowly, Regina fell to her knees beside Emma. Ruby's bloody hands grasped hers quickly and shoved them against Emma's stomach. Regina understood what the wolf was asking. Ruby glanced at the flames warily and then leapt from the stage, charging Gaston with righteous fury.

He almost made it to his feet before a backhand landed across his cheek with the full force of a pissed off werewolf. He fell back to the cold floor, unconscious. Ruby glared at him for a moment and then turned yellow eyes to the rest of the crowd.

"Regina, poof her, magic her to the hospital. I've got this!" Ruby's arms floated dangerously at her sides, daring someone else to challenge her.

The blood of their savior dripped from her hands.

"I hope you're all satisfied," she threatened coldly. "He may have just killed the only person who could control The Evil Queen." She glanced back at Regina.

Her eyes told the older woman that she didn't actually believe she was evil anymore; she only wanted to scare people. She held the gaze until Emma and Regina disappeared in a puff of purple smoke and then faced the crowd. The flames turned to smoke, and the doors fell open when Regina departed.

"Lock him up, Deputy," Stacy's hardened voice blared through the speakers attached to the microphone. Ruby glanced over her shoulder to witness the impressive sight of sweet and innocent Stacy Cochran glaring angrily at the citizens of Storybrooke.

"In this land, he may have just murdered a law enforcement officer," Stacy continued. "But in our home land, he just attempted to assassinate the daughter of Snow White and Prince James, the daughter of our king and queen, our savior, our princess! She just sacrificed herself to save the woman you all presume to be The Evil Queen. I think it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway. Her wish should be honored. Any further attempts against Regina's life will be considered an act of treason until either the savior recovers to declare otherwise or Snow and James return. Now go home, and pray the savior lives long enough to keep Regina's magic in check. Deputy," Stacy dismissed Ruby with a pointed look towards Gaston.

Ruby's anger flared as she grabbed the back of the big man's shirt and dragged him through the parting crowd. Guess she'd be postponing her camping trip with Belle and Henry a little longer. She only hoped Emma hung on; otherwise Regina would rip this town apart.

* * *

Across town, people gasped and squealed when Regina appeared in the emergency room in a puff of violet smoke. She glanced around at the nurses holding their hands to their chests and glared.

"She's been shot. Help her!" She demanded, but they pressed away from her. "If I take my hands off her stomach, she will bleed to death. Now go get Whale and get me a gurney!"

One of the younger nurses scampered off, presumably to find the doctor, and an older woman with an abundance of bosom stepped forward tentatively. She was a patient, not a nurse, but she grabbed some gloves from the box hanging on the wall and a few gauze pads from a cart and knelt beside Emma's ashen form. Regina's face softened at the kindness she displayed. A few of the nurses watched the interaction curiously, and then stepped into action once they realized that Regina wasn't going to harm them.

A whirl of activity suddenly surrounded her as hands grabbed at Emma's shoulders, lifting her onto a gurney and checking her pulse and other life signs. They shouted out numbers at Whale as he arrived with flushed cheeks, but Regina hadn't a clue what they possibly meant. A brazen nurse pushed her away from Emma's side and replaced her hands on the sheriff's stomach. She said nothing to the woman.

Then they were gone to an operating room per Whale's instruction, and Regina stood alone, covered in Emma's blood, with every eye in the room watching her with fear or pity. A nurse behind the reception desk stepped forward, one hand outstretched in a placating gesture.

"Madame Mayor, do you need any help? Are you hurt?" She asked nervously, stopping a good 10 feet from her.

"Regina," she corrected as she looked up towards the anxious woman and then returned her eyes to her hands. "Or Ms. Mills please. I'm not the mayor anymore," she explained absently and stared at her hands. A few people whispered at the new information, but no one addressed her outright about it.

"Okay, Ms. Mills, are you hurt? Is any of this blood yours?" The nurse tried again.

"No," she answered quietly. The blood fascinated her; she couldn't stop staring at it. Of all the hearts she'd taken, she'd never felt this amount of blood on her hands, and now when she tried behaving, she became covered in the sticky liquid. Emma's blood.

"What about that on your leg?" The nurse pointed, considerably closer now that she was fairly certain Regina wasn't going to fly into a murderous rage. Regina glanced behind her needlessly.

"That might be mine," she admitted as reality slowly reasserted itself in her mind. The ache on the back of her thigh crashed into her, and she falter. The nurse touched her shoulder to steady her and then jerked her hand back as if she'd been burned. Regina offered her soft eyes as reassurance that the touch was perfectly fine.

"Come on. Let's get you cleaned up and take a look at that leg," she held her hand out towards a room, and no one in the waiting room even thought about protesting Regina's cut to the front of the line. They only breathed easier when The Evil Queen was out of sight.

Regina washed her hands at the sink in the small room before dutifully donning the flimsy and exposing hospital gown. The nurse patiently waited for her to finish cleaning her hands and then held her elbow as she hobbled to the bed. She snagged the blanket from the bed and folded it, using it to cover Regina's exposed backside when she laid down. Regina tried to smile up at her gratefully, but it never reached her eyes so she dropped her head to the pillow.

"It's been well-taken care of. You've just pulled four or five of the stitches out. I can see where it's starting to heal pretty good, but this is really deep. It's taking so long to heal because it probably should have had a few on the inside as well," the nurse explained what she saw, but Regina only half listened.

She never even registered the nurse leaving, but then suddenly there were four more people standing in the room. How long had she been staring at the blank white wall?

"Mom?" Henry's scared voice cut through her haze.

"Henry," she breathed and hungrily accepted him into her arms as best she could manage while on her stomach.

"He insisted on seeing you, but now I really must insist that he be taken to the waiting room," said a short, thin woman. "One of you can stay if you want."

"I've got him," Belle's accented voice floated through the air, and then small hands were pulling on Henry's shoulders.

"I'll be out soon, Sweetheart," Regina assured the boy and kissed his forehead. He nodded silently and allowed Belle to pull him against her side and escort him from the room.

Ruby slid the ugly orange plastic chair into Regina's sight line and then plopped into it. The young wolf looked ragged with deep lines on her concerned face and unshed tears in her eyes. The young doctor also moved into her vision. She was petite with black hair cropped above her ears and a kind smile, wide smile and soulful brown eyes. Beautiful.

"I'm Dr. Zambrano. I'm sorry that you had to wait so long, but I wasn't here today. I was at Town Hall with everyone else and figured I'd see if I was needed after you disappeared," the woman's soft and kind voice flowed through the room as she moved about, fetching the equipment she'd need.

"Why would you think you were needed?" Ruby asked naively, and Regina rolled her eyes.

"In the event that I went on a murderous rampage, Miss Lucas," Regina explained for the doctor, and Ruby's mouth formed a silent 'O' in response.

"Plus, I'm the only doctor on staff willing to treat you. Trust me when I say that they called everyone. So don't make me regret it," she warned. "Little pinch and some burning," she muttered just before she stuck the needle filled with anesthetic into Regina leg.

Regina hissed, and Ruby fidgeted, hands jumping from her lap like she wanted to touch Regina and then thought better of it. Dr. Zambrano hummed to herself as she worked, commenting here and there, whether to herself or them, Regina didn't know.

"Have you heard anything about Emma yet?" Ruby asked suddenly. Her tears returned full force, and this time she failed to stop them.

They tumbled down her cheeks and dripped off her chin. Regina wiped them away before she realized what she was doing. They both froze, awkwardly staring at each other at the sudden compassionate gesture. Even Dr. Zambrano stopped her work and watched the interaction. Regina moved first, cupping the girl's cheek in a way only a mother could and brushing her thumb under Ruby's wet eye. A collective sigh whooshed through the room as they all started breathing and moving again.

"Regina, what are you going to do if she dies?" Ruby asked quietly and pulled Regina's hand into her own, holding them in her lap. Her eyes flicked to the doctor pretending not to eavesdrop on the conversation and then back to Regina's.

"Do my best to honor her final wish," Regina confessed quietly.

"To not let them…us," Ruby admitted in sudden realization, "make you a monster again?"

"Yes," Regina confirmed with a quiet conviction that surprised even her. She intended to redeem herself for Henry and for Emma, or at least Emma's memory. They fell into silence as they all thought about what Regina was attempting to do.

"You love her, don't you?" Ruby asked after studying Regina's face for a long moment.

"You're more observant than I ever credited you for, Miss Lucas," Regina sniffed, uncomfortable with the emotional evasion Ruby inflicted.

"When did you know?" Ruby pressed on, determined to get the answers she sought, and Regina had to wonder if it was only about her and Emma's relationship. Regina sighed.

"I didn't realize it until I put her into that elevator in the library and sent her to fight a very pissed off Maleficent in dragon form, but I think I loved her the day she mutilated my apple tree with that ridiculous chainsaw." Regina smiled at the memory, tears burning the back of her throat.

"But that was her first week in Storybrooke!" Ruby exclaimed, and Dr. Zambrano flinched at the sudden loudness of her voice. Regina glared behind her, and the doctor shrugged sheepishly.

"Does she love you back?" Ruby pulled her attention back to the conversation, and Regina's chin quivered as tears spilled onto her cheeks and nose.

"I thought she might." Her voice was tight and raspy with the tears. "But that's not possible anymore, now that she knows what I'm capable of. The things I've done, they go far beyond the corruption of dark magic, and I'm not sure Emma will ever accept that part of me."

"Regina, you're not that person anymore. Henry's changed you. You've changed yourself. I'm beginning to wonder if you were ever as evil as everyone thought you were. I mean, just look at this place, it's pretty damn wonderful as far as punishments go. It's safe and quiet and peaceful, and not everyone realizes this, but it's a reflection of what you desired most, isn't it? I don't know much about magic, but I know that it follows the desires of the person wielding it. This town, Storybrooke, was designed in the image you most desired, wasn't it?" Ruby searched Regina's face, watching the impact of her words. Regina remained silent, letting the question hang in the air.

"Done," Dr. Zambrano announced quietly, breaking the moment as gently as she could. "I'll get you some scrubs to change into." She moved to Regina's vision again. "Madame… Regi… Ms. Mills, if you ever require medical attention again and they refuse you treatment, tell them to call me. I'll come." With that she was out the door before Regina responded.

"Look at you, making friends already," Ruby ribbed her, and Regina rolled her eyes in a huff. She enjoyed Ruby's quiet strength and unwavering loyalty, but she knew it was a temporary companionship. When Belle opened up about what Regina had done to her, Ruby would greet her with cold eyes and jumpy gestures for the rest of her life, just like Emma had that morning.

A nurse scurried into the room and tossed the scrubs at Ruby and then disappeared around the corner. Yes, The Evil Queen might attack her with her ass hanging out of a cheap hospital gown. Regina sat up, enjoying the anesthetic while it lasted, and pulled on the pink scrubs with a wrinkled nose and a bitten tongue. They were punishing her, she was certain of it. Ruby bit her lip, but her eyes sang with amusement.

"You may laugh, Miss Lucas," the dark woman permitted, and Ruby guffawed.

"I can't believe they gave you an entirely pretty pink outfit. I mean they do want you to _not_ kill them, right?" Regina glared at the girl, which only made her laugh harder.

It took her a moment to realize that Regina's gaze had turned towards the door and sobered when she followed it to find a slightly distraught Dr. Whale wringing his hands. Ruby pressed herself close to Regina, there if she needed her but far enough not to make either woman uncomfortable. His face told them that the surgery had not gone well before he ever spoke.

"Regina, I'm sorry. She wasn't strong enough to handle the surgery, so we had to stop. The bullet tore through her stomach and then glanced off the left side of her rib cage and collapsed the left lung, which is where we found it. She's in a medically induced coma. We managed to remove the bullet, but there is still a lot of damage to repair. We managed to mend her stomach and put a temporary patch on her lung. A ventilator is helping her breathe; she probably wouldn't be able to do it on her own just yet. She needs a bowel resection, so she's on a dialysis machine. If she survives the next 48 hours, we'll go in and attempt to repair the lung and bowel. All of the bleeding is stopped for now, but Sheriff Swan is quite anemic and will probably require several transfusions over the next few days. I'm sorry, but it's all we can do until she is strong enough to go back into surgery. Now, we just wait and see."

Whale recited the information clinically, but something in his eyes begged Regina to accept the limitations of science. Ruby made note but silently awaited Regina's reaction.

"'Wait and see?' That's all you can offer me is wait and see! Tell me, is there anything that your science can guarantee? I've seen nothing but failure. With Daniel, with Henry and now Emma. Do you intend to allow every person I love to die?" Regina bit coldly, and Whale hung his head and shoved his hands into the pockets of his dark blue scrubs.

"Regina," Ruby touched her bicep hesitantly. She may have wolf strength, but Regina's magic would knock her on her ass in a second. "Don't," she pleaded.

"Would you like to see her? As I said, she is unconscious, but…" he shrugged and allowed the sentence to hang.

"No. I won't watch her die, too, because of your failure." Regina brushed past him in a flash of pink fury.

Ruby's brow furrowed in apology and sympathy for the doctor. She gathered Regina's ruined clothes and shoes and followed the distraught woman. She touched Whale's arm as she passed and offered him a smile that couldn't quite reach her eyes. Whatever history he had with Regina, she knew he was a good surgeon, and if he believed that nothing else could be done right now, she took his word at face value.

When she reached the waiting room, the first thing she noticed was Regina clinging to Henry as the boy cried into her chest. Belle stood on the opposite side of the now nearly empty waiting room, arms wrapped tightly around herself as her own tears silently slid down her cheeks. Her blue eyes turned to Ruby. They rushed to each other and met in the middle of the room. Belle tucked her head beneath Ruby's chin, face flush against her chest, and clutched the back of her shirt with both hands.

"Let's go home," Ruby whispered into Belle's hair, and the woman nodded against her collarbone before releasing the death grip on her shirt.

"Regina, Henry, let's get you home," Ruby held out one hand to them and held Belle against her side with the other.

"Miss Lucas, I don't need you to hold my hand," Regina sniped, her voice deep and dangerous.

"No, you don't, but Emma and Stacy made me deputy today, which means with Emma out of service, it's my job to make sure you stay safe. Gaston is at the station, and I'd really like to avoid a blood bath, so I suppose that means we are going to your house. I already have Emma's cell phone, badge and car keys. Her cruiser is outside. Now go put your ass in it, and stop being so damn difficult."

Ruby ordered the fussy former royal as she brought her free hand to her hip. She was just as tired and worried and scared and heartbroken as Regina, and she hadn't the patience or the emotional fortitude to fight Regina every step of this process. She may not have loved Emma in the same way, but the sheriff had quickly become one of her closest and most trusted friends.

The few people in the waiting room and at the reception desk tensed as witch and wolf stared each other down. Finally, Regina huffed and pulled Henry towards to door. Someone should really have stayed with Emma, but there was nothing anyone could do. Right now, they needed to take care of themselves and Henry so that when Emma woke up, she'd have a strong support system. Ruby hadn't wanted to see the strong and proud woman held together with tubes and tape anyway, so she led Belle behind Regina and Henry.

As they exited into the cool evening air, she sent a silent prayer to anyone listening that she was strong enough to fill Emma's shoes.


	10. For Fish and Love

Hello, My Doves! So, the subject of what Snow and Charming will be facing in Fairy Tale Land came up in a review. They will go through the same struggles as Emma and MM as depicted in S2. I find their characters utterly irritating and, especially Snow, a little unrealistic (at least until she kills Cora). I sort of feel that way about Henry, too, but he is a bit more vital to the story. That said, I'm avoiding them as long as possible before I have to figure out how to write their characters.

Now, on to the good stuff! Thank you for all of your reviews and follows (over 100!). I had intended this next bit to be one chapter, but, well… it got a little long, so it will be posted in two installments. The next one should be up later today. Also, I've relabeled the story to include Red and Belle. I never intended to include them so heavily, but it just works so damn well for the direction of this story. Enjoy, Lovelies!

Songs: I'm Only Human by Christina Perri, Monster You Made Me by Pop Evil

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Ruby managed to shuttle the small group to Regina's mansion without further incident. Regina sat in the back with Henry pulled tightly against her, Belle at her side in the front. The young librarian surprised her when she stopped on the street beside the clock tower. Instead of retreating to her small apartment, Belle smiled gently and touched her hand before telling her to drive on.

She was pleased because Henry had truly taken to Belle very quickly, thrilled to have finally met someone who loved reading as much as he did. They chattered for hours about different books and stories. Also, she kept an eye on her more easily when they were together; Belle wasn't quite accustomed to the 21st century and all of its appliances of convenience. She'd nearly given Ruby a heart attack that morning when she almost stuck a fork into the toaster to check the status of her 'crisping bread.' That wasn't mentioning the fact that Gold wouldn't deign to mess with her while she was in Regina's house. She'd have someone to distract Henry if Regina jumped off the deep end. The list went on, but perhaps the biggest reason was the fact that Ruby simply felt better in her presence, like maybe she could have done anything if Belle only stayed at her side. Was this what Regina felt when she was with Emma?

She ushered her charges into the Mills' mansion but hesitated in the foyer. She'd never been in Regina's house before. She needn't have worried. Henry grabbed Belle's hand and dragged her into the living room, depositing her on a sofa before scampering up the stairs, yelling about his book of fairy tales that were actually true. Regina smiled at her son's antics and followed him with her eyes for a moment.

"Care for a drink, Miss Lucas?" Regina tossed over her shoulder as she turned towards the kitchen. She figured Ruby would follow or she wouldn't, either way she needed a drink.

The young wolf glanced in Belle's direction and then trailed Regina to the kitchen. She had no clue what Emma had done that inspired such drastic changes in the former mayor, but she sensed that Regina approached some sort of precipice. Even if it was the last favor she did for her friend, she strived to ensure that Regina made it to the other side without falling into the darkness.

Regina knocked back a shot as Ruby entered and then poured more into the crystal tumbler. A second glass sat on the marble counter, and Ruby poured herself two fingers, figuring if Regina could shoot it, then it was probably stout enough to knock her on her ass. She sat at the island and watched the dark woman, waiting for the thunder heads to break open.

Regina snatched a plate of bacon and scrambled eggs and tossed the china into the sink. It shattered under the force, and Ruby jerked. Regina remained in control as she continued to move about the kitchen. So, Ruby sipped her drink, wincing at the harsh bite and then relaxing into the pleasant apple-flavored burn. It was strong. And it was homemade.

Regina flitted around the kitchen, pulling a few things from her cabinets and then the refrigerator. Ruby flinched when Regina reappeared with a giant cutting knife, but the distraught woman missed the reaction, already bending forward to claim a cutting board from beneath the island. The _tick, thunk_ of the knife hitting wood soothed both women. Regina paused and slung another shot down her throat, immediately pouring another, before returning to the vegetables. In no time at all, the broccoli, zucchini and baby carrots were tossed into a large steamer.

Rice came next, as did another shot when she set the pot of water on the burner, and then another after she finished mixing a lemon and honey and rosemary marinade. Ruby nursed her drink and watched. Observing Regina moving so confidently around the kitchen was indeed an impressive and rare sight, even in bright pink scrubs and bare feet. It was hard to imagine the fierce woman as domestic, but it seemed to soothe her.

She took another shot before moving to the sink. She poked at the four individually wrapped packets of salmon and then turned on the hot water. Finally, she stilled, resting her hands on the edge of the sink as steam billowed upward. It lasted only a few minutes, though, until the salmon was thawed enough for her approval. She ripped the packs open and dumped the contents into a glass baking dish and then dumped the marinade on top. She stirred the rice, lowered the heat, took a shot.

"That's six in less than 20 minutes. If you don't stop, you're going to pass out before you finish dinner," Ruby warned, her voice calm and even, despite her deep concern.

"Unless you'd like your fur singed, Miss Lucas, you will remain silent," Regina bristled and then downed another gulp of the harsh liquor as if daring Ruby to challenge her.

They fell into silence again, and regardless of Regina's threat, she drank no more of the alcohol until they sat at the table. She filled the tumbler nearly to the top and brought it with her. To her credit, Regina conducted herself regally at the dinner, though Ruby knew she had to be at least dizzy if not outright drunk.

Belle situated herself as far from Regina as she could get, waiting until Ruby sat to make sure the waitress stayed between them, and merely stared at the food for a long time before ever picking up her fork. Ruby glanced between her new friend and the former queen who was watching her guiltily. Belle hadn't yet divulged any details of her history with Regina, but the past pain shone clearly in both women as she gingerly slid her finger over the utensil and then jerked her hand away quickly. Regina sipped her drink.

Finally, after much deliberation, Belle held the fork in her hand and bowed her head, though her eyes flitted towards Regina. With a shaking hand, she cut into the salmon and then paused long enough to glance at the former queen again. Regina took another drink and remained silent. Ruby bore it no longer. Her fork clattered to the table as she reached for Belle's hand. She braced herself on the back of Belle's chair and then steadied the librarian's shaking hand beneath her own, guiding it to the small piece of salmon and then to her friend's mouth.

"It's okay. I watched her make everything," Ruby whispered, just in case Belle worried that it had been poisoned.

At Ruby's encouragement, Belle opened her mouth and tentatively placed the salmon on her tongue. At the sweet flavor and slightly metallic flavor of the fish, her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. She broke free from Ruby's influencing hand and popped a perfectly steamed carrot into her mouth.

"Regina," Belle sighed contentedly. "This is wonderful." She emphasized her words by taking another bite of the salmon. Regina beamed in her slightly drunken haze.

Ruby reclaimed her fallen fork, grateful that this small crisis and all of its tension dissipated with Belle's approval. I'll kill you if you die, Emma, she thought as she tucked into her own food. Henry, too, felt the tension fade and finally resumed his normal chittering.

"Mom, did you know that Belle's going to open the library? Isn't that cool? She said that she'd help me pick out some good books. There's bunch of them already there, but they're really dusty. She says that after she opens the library I could come there everyday after school and help her if I wanted." Henry bounced in his seat, and Regina raise one thin eyebrow.

"Is that so, Miss French?" Regina tossed out casually, more to ensure that her son had actually obtained permission to do such a thing than to challenge Belle's kindness.

"If it's alright with you, of course," Belle gushed and smiled at Henry. "I'm going to need a good assistant." She winked at the boy who beamed at the pretty woman slathering him with attention. Charming: just like his grandfather.

"I've always encourage Henry towards academics." Regina shrugged as if her statement answered the question hanging in the air, and Ruby rolled her eyes.

"He's a fantastic boy. I'd love to teach him all of the languages I know," Belle continued.

"I'd like that," Henry grinned, smitten with the blue-eyed stranger. "Can I, Mom, please?" He turned puppy dog eyes on his mother.

"Of course, Sweetheart," Regina cooed and then ran her fingers over his hair. "Anything you want. I can offer you a small tutoring fee, Miss French, if you care to have it."

Ruby snorted and then choked on her broccoli and coughed as three sets of eyes watched her curiously. Who the hell was this woman, and what had she done with Regina Mills?

"Miss Lucas, even mutts need to chew their food," Regina pulled them through the awkward moment. Ah, there she was.

Ruby turned glaring eyes toward the former royal, rebuke on her tongue until she saw the playful glint in Regina's dark brown eyes, one perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised acerbically. Regina made a joke? Belle laughed as she finally realized it was supposed to be funny, though she didn't know why Regina would call Ruby a dog. Henry's smile, though, brought out one from Regina, perhaps aided by a copious amount of alcohol.

The rest of dinner passed in much the same manner. Every opening Regina saw, she inserted a playfully derisive one-liner and sent the other three into giggling fits. On some level, Belle and Ruby understood that Regina distracted her son from the looming grief cloud of the reality that his other mother lay near death across town, but they enjoyed Regina's friskiness all the same.

Eventually, they all yawned. Regina stood, effectively ending the dinner as a queen should, while her guests felt good and pleasantly tired - but not exhausted and overworked. Ruby slapped her hand away when she started clearing plates, and Regina glared at the young pup.

"Go tuck your son into bed. Belle and I will do the dishes," Ruby explained and then turned her back on Regina's indignant huff. That woman certainly knew how to throw a proper hissy fit, but Ruby was having none of it.

Regina never returned to the bottom floor, so they assumed she had gone to bed as well. They settled onto the sofas with pillows and blankets and drifted off. Belle awoke in the middle of the night to a faint thump. She glanced at Ruby, debating on whether or not she should wake her friend, but the other woman looked so peaceful. She'd been holding strong for everyone around her, for the town now that Emma was out of commission, for her and Henry. Ruby deserved the sleep if there was no actual threat. Belle slowly maneuvered her way through the dark house, lit only by the moon beams and streetlights filtering through the windows.

She slipped into the dining room and then into Regina's study. She froze in momentary panic when she saw the silhouetted form near the window before realizing it was Regina. Light blue silk pajamas indicated that she had maybe been in bed at one point. Her hand pressed against the window, head hung between her shoulders. A crystal tumbler dangled at her side, and Belle noticed that the decanter of liquor that had sat on the island while she and Ruby cleaned up had been emptied. Regina should be passed out by now from the consumption, but still she remained upright if a bit unsteady.

"Regina?" She called from the door, torn between wanting to comfort the destroyed woman before her and running away from her former tormentor.

"Go back to your wolf, Miss French," Regina slurred, unable or not caring to raise her head.

"My wolf?" She shook the odd command from her mind. "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" The raspy voice lowered dangerously, but instead of scaring the young librarian away, she took a few steps into the room.

"You look like you're in pain," Belle admitted compassionately and then took another step towards Regina. If she wished, she might have reached out and touched the other woman.

"How astute. I'm pleased to see that your years of captivity haven't destroyed your deductive reasoning."

Regina's words slithered up Belle's spine, and she allowed their effect to leave her body with a shiver. This was not the same woman who had locked her away, tortured her, took her virginity against her will. That woman had died when she cast the curse, Belle was certain of it.

"Regina," Belle whispered. "Do you want to talk about what happened to Emma?"

"Not with you, slave," Regina seethed, trying to resist Belle's kindness. "Love is weakness. _I_ am weak." Belle heard the tears despite Regina's bowed head.

"You're not weak. It takes more strength to love someone than to hurt them. It means you have to accept them as they are because you can't do anything to change them if they don't want to change. It means you might have to give them some power over you, and that leap of faith… _that _is true strength, not knowing where you'll land but having faith that you'll survive the fall. I learned that when I was in Rumpel's castle."

Darkness slid into Belle's voice as she remembered how exactly Rumpel had hurt her over and over again, not because he meant to, but because he was simply being who he was. Perhaps she should visit him soon, let him know she never hated him even if she could never be with him again.

"That's what I'm trying to do," Regina's quiet voice pulled her from her silent debate about the Dark One. "But I'm not very good at being human."

"What do you mean?" Belle encouraged now that the woman had stopped insulting and threatening her.

"Emma! Stupid, brave, beautiful, honest, infuriating, smug, broken, beautiful Emma. She sacrificed herself because that's who she is, but I can't accept that, not when the only reason I can see is me. She did it for me. Stupid, stupid girl." The words cursed Emma, but the tone was broken, assuring Belle that Regina hadn't meant them.

Regina whipped around suddenly, tumbler flying from her fingers. It smashed against the far wall, causing Belle to flinch and step back from Regina's anger. The decanter followed soon after and then the small table beneath the window. With nothing else in her immediately reach, Regina covered her face as a despairing wail slipped through her fingers. It was the break that Ruby had been anticipating all night.

Belle caught her instead, not even thinking twice about wrapping the broken woman in her arms as they sunk to the floor together. Regina never hugged her back or clung to her in any way, but she allowed Belle to hold her as she sobbed. This most definitely was not the woman who'd held her captive.

"I didn't tell her goodbye. She might die tonight, and I didn't tell her goodbye." Regina muttered, followed by indistinguishable slurs and mumbles.

Belle's gaze jerked to the door when Ruby clumsily tripped through it, catching her balance at the last second. The waitress had obviously been awoken by Regina's tantrum and run toward the sound before her body found its equilibrium. Regina either hadn't noticed her less than graceful entrance or she hadn't cared. Her faced remained against Belle's chest and her sobs dragged on.

Ruby's black eyes widened at the sight, but she stayed put as both women seemed to be uninjured. She simply watched, waited, lurking just out of sight like she usually did. She wasn't certain how much time passed, but eventually Regina calmed and then fell silent.

"I think she passed out," Belle said quietly. "She finished the ale that was one the table earlier." She'd be amused that the Evil Queen had done something so undignified if Regina hadn't just literally broken down in her arms.

Ruby closed her eyes with a silent curse, wishing it had been ale that Regina drank. She'd have a hell of a headache when she woke up. Why hadn't she stayed awake when every instinct she ever had told her that Regina would crack this night? Oh, right, Belle played with her hair until her eyes absolutely refused to stay open any longer.

"I've got her." Ruby stepped forward and pulled one of Regina's arms around her neck and then lifted her easily with an arm under her knees and back. She ignored Belle's surprised gasp at her wolf strength, knowing they needed to have that conversation sooner rather than later, especially with Wolf's moon approaching in only two weeks.

Regina's head rolled against her shoulder as she climbed the stairs. Her room was easily discernible by the size and similar decorations as her office at Town Hall. Ruby set her limp body on the bed and then pulled the comforter over her. She worried briefly about alcohol poisoning but shook it away, hoping Regina considered the ramifications of her actions before getting shit faced.

Belle met her at the bottom of the stairs with wide, questioning eyes, and Ruby took her shoulders in her hands as she stepped off the bottom step. Regina tortured herself because she never told Emma how she felt, never gave them a chance to be more, and now she pointed her anger inwards, destroying herself instead of other people. It wasn't a perfect situation, but it spoke volumes about Regina's commitment to changing. Ruby wanted to remove any chance of that same burden ever becoming a reality for herself.

Belle stared up at her in confusion when Ruby's chest began heaving up and down as adrenaline tore through her. She thought for a moment that the librarian might push her away and tensed for the rejection, but Belle settled her hands at her waist as she stepped into her. She failed to understand Ruby's sudden fear, but she knew that the tall woman needed her comfort right now and she wanted more than anything to take away Ruby's pain.

The kiss was gentle, a barely there ghosting of Ruby's lips over Belle's. Terror filled her eyes when Belle simply stared up at her. Any reaction would have been better than none, either good or bad would have alleviated the knot if Red's gut. Belle's grip on her waist tightened as she adjusted to the new emotions flowing through her.

"Ruby, I…" she halted, unsure what she was trying to say. She pressed on her toes and met Ruby's lips once more for a brief second. It was barely more than a peck, but it was enough.

"I can't," Belle said quietly, chin dropped and then suddenly her lips were against Ruby's again. It lingered longer than the last, and Ruby's fingers clenched Belle's shoulders in a valiant effort that gave the shorter woman control of the kiss. She was clearly terrified, so was Ruby but in a different way. Belle's lips moved against hers softly a few times and then disappeared once more.

"I'm sorry. That must have been very confusing," Belle said when she pulled back again. Ruby remained silent, forcing her eyes open slowly and allowing Belle to see the honesty in her hidden depths, hoping it was enough for Belle to see her feelings because she hadn't yet defined them enough to say them aloud. Belle leaned her head against Ruby's chest and sighed.

"I can't do this, Ruby," she whispered. The waitress' shoulders fell, and Belle pulled back quickly. "Ruby, no… I'm not very good at this," Belle berated her lack of experience. "What I mean is I need time. I've only been a free woman for a week." Ruby blinked rapidly when she realized that Belle wasn't rejecting her outright.

"I want to," the librarian admitted coyly, a small giggle escaping her lips as she turned her head away. She cleared her throat. "But I think… I think maybe right now I just need a friend. I can't even use a bread crisper properly."

"Toaster," Ruby corrected with a grin.

"Can you be that for me?" Belle's hopeful blue eyes turned upwards. They were so innocent, despite what she'd gone through, unlike the haunted ones that had been staring at her from the mirror ever since the curse broke, Red's eyes.

Ruby's heart melted. She knew she was a goner, sucked into the abyss of love. It'd never felt like this, not with Peter and certainly not with Snow. She wrapped her arms around Belle's back and pressed their fronts together. Belle leaned her head against her chest again and slipped her arms around Ruby's thin waist. Ruby's lips fell onto the crown of her head instinctively and remained there.

"I'll be anything you want me to be," Ruby promised into Belle's hair. She felt Belle smile against her chest, and her heart thumped wildly.

Exhaustion tugged at their eyes, and they both battled it away, content to stand at the bottom of the grand staircase and simply feel each other. They needed the comfort of safe arms, so sleep waited until they'd had their fill. For the first time in 28 years, Ruby felt as though she'd gotten something right.


	11. Shatter Me

My Doves, as promised, here is the second installment. Thank you, once more and forever, for all of your kind words and encouragements. It's wonderful to know that you are enjoying reading as much as I am enjoying writing this piece.

Warnings: You will need a freakin' tissue.

Songs: I'm Only Human by Christina Perri, Rain by Patty Griffin, I'm Not an Angel by Halestorm, What Have You Done by Within Temptation

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Regina grumbled to life. Her head pounded and her stomach roiled. The sun taunted her with its bright light, and she considered waving her hand and closing the curtains with magic but refrained. Slowly, her eyes cracked and then slammed shut again. She shielded them with her hand and tried again, intending to close the curtains and return to bed until she saw the clock on her nightstand. It was already after one in the afternoon. Why had no one come to wake her?

Pushing aside her hangover symptoms, she stomped angrily down the stairs, silk pajamas rustling. She searched the living room first and found nothing, so she turned towards the kitchen. A note on the counter in Ruby's loopy script was the only indication that anyone else had been in the house.

_Regina, Didn't want to wake you. Belle and Henry are at the library, and I am at the station if you need us. I made you something to help with the hangover. It's in the fridge. Don't worry, it's nothing gross. Let me know if you hear anything about Emma. -Ruby- P.S. You snore like a kitten._

Regina crumpled the note and stomped to the refrigerator. Her thigh burned hotly in aching, stabbing jolts now that her anger dissipated. The glass at eye level had a note attached that said, "Drink me, Regina!" Dark eyes rolled at Red's methods but begrudgingly wrapped her fingers around the glass of thick, dark green liquid. If anyone knew how to cure a hangover, it was Ruby. The girl practically lived on alcohol for 28 years.

Regina heard her singing outside her office window while she worked late a few years ago, a ridiculous little jingle that stuck with Regina for whatever reason.

"If the ocean was Vodka and I was a duck, I'd go to the bottom and never come up. But the ocean's not Vodka and I'm not a duck, so pass me the bottle and shut the fuck up," Regina spoke the words less enthusiastically than Red's drunken singing and then tipped the glass up. Huh. It actually wasn't as disgusting as she'd imagine, sort of minty. She downed the rest in one go and then rinsed the glass.

She wandered into her study, vaguely remembering being there last night. It was trashed, broken glass, an overturned table, papers blown off her desk. Regina scowled at the mess and jabbed her hands into her hips.

"There better not have been crazy wolf sex in my office, Miss Lucas," she muttered and then shut the door, leaving the mess for later consideration and cleaning.

Some toast, some aspirin and a quick shower had Regina feeling almost normal. Ruby's magic drink really cured her hangover. Regina dressed quickly in some black slacks and grey-blue blazer with a simple white shirt beneath. She stared at the mirror trying desperately to remember what she'd done last night after she'd put Henry to bed, but there were only spurts and flashes. Her office. Belle's eyes. Ruby's citrus shampoo. Nothing solid returned, and she sighed.

She picked up a dark plum lipstick and applied it quickly. Makeup was pointless, but Emma always stared at her lips more when she wore this shade. Emma wouldn't see it this day, but it comforted Regina, a cool balm for the fire in her soul. She needed that confidence today, needed to feel the way Emma always made her feel when she looked at her lips hungrily. Daniel had made her feel like a pretty, lovesick school girl, but Emma made her feel like a desirable, beautiful, sexual woman and not in a way that objectified her.

Daniel.

She watched her own eyes widen in horror. Her chest clutched painfully. He'd been outside her window, staring at her. She'd drank until he disappeared, thinking him an apparition of her grief about Emma, but now in the light of day, she wasn't sure. She'd never seen such an animalistic expression on his face before. Surely, her mind wouldn't have conjured such a twisted image of the man she perceived as her true love. Had Whale…? No, he swore it wasn't possible.

She ignored her burning thigh as she sprinted to her car and drove straight to the hospital. She ignored the stares, glares and abrupt changes of direction as she stalked directly to Whale's office. It was wrecked. Blood stained the walls, papers and medical equipment covered the floors. She picked through the wreckage desperately, finding Whale's dismembered arm before she found the rest of him.

"Oh God." Emma. Who would do Emma's surgery? "Whale?" Her hollow voice strained from her throat as she shook the man's good shoulder.

"What did you do?" she growled as soon as his eyes cracked open. "You fool! Did you bring him back?" She'd made him choose between Emma and Daniel, and now she may have lost both.

"He's alive," Whale whispered, his eyes bright with his triumph despite its cost, his arm… Emma's life.

"What about Emma?" She seethed. "You're surgical career is over!" She grabbed his white jacket lapels and shook him. He groaned weakly as pain shot through his shoulder and into his chest.

"Whose going to save her!" Regina screamed.

"Ms. Mills, what the hell is going on in here?" Dr. Zambrano stood wide-eyed at the door of Whale's office, whether by accident or summoned by her screams, she'd never know.

"This imbecile charlatan messed with things he shouldn't have and nearly got himself killed. That is what's happening, Doctor, and not by my hands either." Regina added as she stalked from the room.

"Ms. Mills!" Dr. Zambrano called after her and then gestured down the hall for some nurses huddled by their station. They approached tentatively, and Dr. Zambrano turned to face Regina.

"I heard them gossiping when I walked by. They called the sher… Deputy Lucas? They called Ruby to come down here. This doesn't look good for you. Probably best if you stuck around, just in case." Regina fixed the woman with cold eyes, but she seemed unaffected as she returned to Whale's office and assisted her staff with his care.

Once he was on a gurney and headed towards the E.R., Zambrano paused. "I can finish Emma's surgery," She stated confidently, chin tipped upwards in defensive pride.

"You can?" Regina's shoulders fell in relief.

"I will. Will you do something for me?" She asked, and Regina nodded.

"If I'm capable, I'd do just about anything," Regina admitted reverently.

"Stay the hell away from my hospital until Sheriff Swan wakes up. You may not scare me anymore after last night, but you terrify my staff. It's distracting, and quite frankly irritating as hell. Just stay away or magic yourself to her room unseen. It's room 205." With that she turned and strode after Whale's gurney and her pack of nurses surrounding him.

Regina followed at a much slower pace and stood outside the glass barriers when she arrived, watching various medical staff work on Whale's mutilated body. Moron.

That's how Ruby found her when she arrived 20 minutes later. The girl was flustered and exhausted as she should be. She'd been caring for Henry and Belle and Regina added her name to that list last night. Given the state of her study, she'd apparently been a handful even if she couldn't remember it completely. Now they expected her to drop everything and step into the role of sheriff, replacing one of her closest friends who willingly sacrificed herself to save the life of one of her supposed sworn enemies. None of that mentioned the fact that Red's nightmares of killing people she loved most had returned with a vengeance and her best friend and her husband had been sucked into an unknown realm and may be dead.

"Regina, what the hell happened?" Ruby crossed her arms and cocked her hip to one side, but her eyes assessed the damage to Whale's body that she could see.

"He… He brought him back," Regina's shoulders rose and fell slightly with the words, knowing more questions likely followed.

"Brought who back from what?" Ruby snapped, her patience thinning. Regina terrified once, but now, now she mostly just pissed her off with her cryptic secrets and half-hearted death threats.

"Daniel. He… we were engaged. We were running away together." Regina stopped as emotions flooded her thoughts.

"You and Whale?" Ruby asked in confusion, nose scrunched at the thought.

"No, you twit! Daniel and I intended to run away together. Whale, he… well, he wasn't from our land. I brought him to the Enchanted Forest because he was confident that he could bring the dead back with the aid of hearts torn out by magic, the kind I kept in my vault."

"Wait, hold up. Hold the fuck up," Ruby rubbed her forehead, and Regina clenched her jaws impatiently. She wanted to get this little story time finished so that she might search for Daniel.

"You have hearts?" Ruby whispered harshly, checking over her shoulder for an eavesdroppers. "Here?"

"They are from our land. I brought them here with the curse. They're in my vault underneath my father's crypt. It's not important. The point is that I also brought Daniel's body with me. It had been preserved with a spell. Whale brought him back with one of the hearts from my vault." Regina finished, leaning close to Ruby's face.

"Whose heart did he use?" Ruby struggled to keep up with Regina's explanation.

"I have no idea. There were so many it was impossible to keep track," Regina admitted quietly after a small pause. She vaguely remembered saying the same thing about her mother when she'd taken Dr. Frankenstein to Cora's vault for a heart.

"Regina, is this guy dangerous? I mean, look what he did to Whale with his bare hands. Are you prepared to do what needs to be done… if we have to?" Ruby crossed her arms again and had the decency to lower her eyes as she suggested killing someone Regina clearly care for.

"Deputy, do you intend to help me find him or not?" Regina snipped suddenly, uncomfortable with the parallel between herself and her mother and the thought that she might lose Daniel once more.

"Yeah. Fine. I'll help. Do you have any idea where to start looking?" Ruby turned from Regina and started back towards the front of the hospital. This place creeped her out. She smelled everything, death and disease, fear and pain. She hated it.

"Remember when David woke up from his coma? He returned to the Troll Bridge, the last thing Mary Margaret read to him. My best assumption would be that Daniel will return to the last place we met, the stables." Regina shared her theory, struggling to keep up with Ruby's long strides.

"The stables?" She stopped abruptly, and Regina bumped into her shoulder. She glared up at the suddenly scared wolf.

"Yes, why?" Regina's stomach clenched as she watched the fear grow in Ruby's big brown eyes.

"Belle and Henry are at the stables. It's why I was late getting here. I dropped them off," she breathed and then took off in a sprint.

Regina followed as best she could. By the time she caught up with Ruby, the girl had pulled the cruiser in front of the hospital and drummed impatiently on the wheel.

"Bout time, Your Highness." She snarked and then burned rubber as she pulled into the street, siren blasting.

"If you hadn't put my son in danger, then we wouldn't have to rush, now would we?" Regina volleyed, stomach flipping as Ruby used her wolf reflexes to keep the car on the road as she took a turn far too quickly.

"Excuse me, Majesty. I wasn't aware today would be Storybrooke: Resident Evil Edition!" She yelled and pressed the accelerator to the floor as she righted the vehicle coming out of the turn.

She flipped the siren off when they pulled up to the stable. The second the blaring sound ceased a muffled shouting could be heard from inside. Ruby took off, Regina trailing behind like before. She cursed her heels and injured leg that seemed would never heal.

"Hey!" Red shouted as she skidded to a stop in front of a stall. Henry pressed into a corner, as far from the man as he could get. Belle dangled in the air, throat gripped tightly in the man's hand. She'd put herself between a zombie and Henry, the kid of the woman who tortured her for three decades.

Belle dropped to the floor gasping. She grabbed Henry and held him close with one arm, her other hand rubbing her throat. Regina finally arrived at the stall, and the tall man paused, leaning his head to one side and then the other as though he recognized her. Ruby waved Belle and Henry to her while he was momentarily distracted. He grunted and groaned, however, as the sudden movement set him off again.

"Go! Get out of here!" Ruby pushed Belle and Henry towards the exit and whipped around in time to see Daniel charge at Regina who was staring, dumbfounded and unmoving.

She slammed the stall door shut and pressed all of her strength against it. This dude was strong, maybe even stronger than her if the painful jolts flying up her arms indicated anything. She reached for Emma's gun.

"What are you doing?" Regina said suddenly, snapping from her stupor at Ruby's intention.

"He's a monster, Regina, and if you won't put him down, then I will." Red screamed at the former royal and turned towards the door.

"No!" Regina pushed against her arm. "I won't let you hurt him!"

"Then bind him, freeze him, do something before he kills someone." Red's cold voice slipped up Regina's spine. "Get out of my way!" She shoved Regina against the wall and started for the door again.

"Ruby, stop! Please, please just stop. Don't hurt him!" Regina beat her fists against Ruby's back and shoulders, but she held strong at the door. Without using magic, Regina had nothing to offer in a match against a werewolf, even in human form.

"Not yet," Regina conceded. "Let me talk to him. I can get through. I know I can." Regina's tortured features and bright begging eyes made the decision for Ruby.

"Regina…" Ruby sighed. "I am going to be just around that corner. If you need me or he hurts you, I will be right here and I will put him down," she explained concisely and then back away from the stable door.

With wolf hearing, she needn't have been that close to hear what Regina and Daniel said to one another, but she tried her best to ignore it. She easily deciphered the pain in Regina's voice as Daniel fought the monster inside him. Tears stung the back of her throat as she sensed the conversation drawing to a close. He couldn't have fought it forever.

"But I love you," Regina whispered, and Ruby hung her head, forcing her tears away and her breathing to calm. Why couldn't this woman catch a fucking break?

"Then love again," Daniel's pained response broke Ruby's reserves and a solitary tear trekked her youthful face. Regina had loved once before, and had been loved fiercely in return. How the hell had she gotten to the person she was today, to the Evil Queen?

She stepped around the corner at Daniel's angry growl, but Regina held up one hand, encasing him in a purple glimmer. She simply watched.

Regina leaned forward, lips near Daniel's ear, and whispered, "I have." And then the man disappeared into ash with a wave of Regina's hand. "Goodbye, Daniel."

She bowed her head as soft whimpers and whines escaped her throat. Ruby gave her a moment and then stepped behind her. She fought tears of her own, but they were nothing compared to Regina's, nor was her pain, confusion or grief at the situation. Gingerly, she placed her hands atop Regina's shoulders. When she met with no resistance, she pressed her front into Regina's back, arms slipping around Regina's chest and stomach. Regina leaned forward as though she might fall over, but Red held her tightly, keeping her on her feet. Ruby's arms ached with the effort when the tears finally subsided.

"Ruby?" Regina's small voice questioned. She leaned into the young wolf, head lolling against a thin shoulder.

"Yeah," Ruby answered, unsure where Regina was going because… who else would be hugging her right now?

"Thank you," a straggling sob hiccupped into her throat, and Regina pressed her hands against Ruby's arm around her chest, forcing the wolf to continue holding her. "Thank you," she repeated. Her head ached and her face burned, but she felt… cleansed.

Ruby pressed her lips against Regina's temple and held them there, surprising both of them when it wasn't as awkward as they thought it should have been. It was… comfortable?

Red understood, even though the words remained unspoken. They weren't necessary. If someone had hugged Regina the first time Daniel died, perhaps she might have chosen a different life. She tightened her grip on the trembling woman, and the silence stretched on. She itched to get back to Belle and Henry, inspect every inch of their bodies for injury, but she waited. This was one decision Regina needed to make for herself. She refused to release the woman until she prepared herself to stand on her own again.

Finally, she released her death grip on Ruby's forearm. Ruby released her instantly despite her own desire to remain in the unlikely embrace and watched her gimp towards the exit for a moment before following.

She steadied the injured woman with a hand under her arm. Regina paused long enough to glare at her long fingers, which Ruby removed quickly at the look, and then continued into the sunlight to where Belle held a shaking Henry against her chest. They parted slightly when they saw them exit the stable. Henry immediately sprinted into his mother's waiting arms, and Ruby continued to Belle. She wrapped her hand around Belle's upper arm and gently led her to the back of the cruiser, facing away from mother and son.

"She needs a minute," Ruby explained, and then lifted Belle onto the trunk with firm hands on her waist. Her eyes flickered over the ugly purple fingerprints marring Belle's perfect skin, her arms and neck especially. Anger flared, and Red felt her eyes change as the wolf rage filled her to the brim.

Belle giggled at the unexpected gesture but sobered a second later when Ruby turned her back unexpectedly and stared off into the field, fingers gripping her slim hips painfully and shoulders coiling with tension. Hesitant hands touched the tight muscles.

The taller woman offered no protest, so Belle spread her knees and pulled Ruby against her chest. Ruby leaned her hips against the trunk and allowed Belle to wrap her arms loosely around her waist. A relieved sigh escaped her lips when Belle squeezed her hips between her thighs and rested her cheek on her shoulder blade, not tall enough to hook it over her thin shoulder. It mattered little as long as Belle touched her, comforted her, absorbed her tension and pain. Was this what Regina felt only moments ago when she'd held her in a nearly identical embrace?

As much as she wanted to take things to the next level with the librarian, perhaps Red needed only a friend right now, too. Especially if Belle continued to offer comfort and unwavering compassion so easily.

"Miss Lucas?" Regina called softly, and Ruby threw her hand up, telling the former royal to leave her in peace. To her surprise, Regina fell silent and simply stepped beside her right shoulder, not quite touching their arms together. Henry wiggled out of the safety of his mother's arm about his shoulders and scrambled to her left side. Ruby's face scrunched with emotion when his tiny arms circled her waist above Belle's, and his face pressed against her shoulder. She was safe and she was loved. She glanced at Regina who shared a knowing gaze with her.

After today, after what Ruby had done for her, neither of them would ever be alone again.

"Ruby, can I stay with you and Belle?" Henry whispered, voice tight with emotion and fading adrenaline. His face tipped towards the wolf's, the top of his head barely reaching her shoulder. Ruby nodded almost imperceptibly at Regina, confirming what they both already knew, before gazing down at Henry's sad eyes.

"Of course you can, Kiddo." She raised her arm that his head rest against and wrapped it around his back, pulling him against her.

"Thank you, Ruby," Regina said and then touched her shoulder before disappearing in a puff.

"Henry… where's your mom going?" Ruby rolled her eyes and looked to the space Regina had occupied only a few seconds ago.

"She said that she needed to talk to someone, and that I should ask if I could stay with you. I think she's going to see Emma." His eyes softened at the mention of the blonde sheriff, and Belled covered his arm on Ruby's stomach with a comforting hand.

"I guess we'll see when we get there. You and Belle need to be checked out." Ruby reluctantly forced herself out of their safe embrace and then lifted Belle off the trunk, setting her gently on the ground like precious, breakable cargo.

"We're fine, Ruby," Belle assured her, but the acting sheriff shook her head and held up a hand, halting all protest.

She slipped her hand onto Belle's back and escorted her to the passenger side of the vehicle and opened the door before she even thought about what she'd done. The tiny woman smiled up at her as she realized that this wasn't Ruby protecting her but assuming the role of a gentle suitor and respecting friend. She might have kissed her again if Henry hadn't watched intently from the backseat. Ruby's ears burned with embarrassment under Belle's blue-eyed scrutiny, parted lips, and slightly heaving chest as the librarian struggled against with her war between passion and sensibility.

After a tense moment, she slid into the car and held her dress until Ruby breathed a relieved sigh as she closed the door. Ruby wouldn't have resisted if Belle had kissed her even though they decided last night to remain as friends for the time being.

Belle tracked the waitress turned sheriff as she crossed in front of the car and smiled shyly, heat burning up her chest, making the bruises on her neck throb. Ruby made her feel like a princess again without making her feel weak and powerless and without expectation of reciprocity. With Ruby, she called the shots, decided the pace. Ruby well-informed her the previous night of that fact when she'd set the rhythm of their short but tense kisses, and it fanned her desire for the other woman all the more. She hadn't expected to find someone so soon after Rumpel, certainly not a woman, and certainly not someone who destroyed all of her senses in a way Rumpel only dreamed of. Maybe her heart was meant to be shattered so that she truly appreciated what she inexplicably shared with the other woman.

Unknowingly, they followed Regina to the hospital. The witch appeared in a swirl of violet haze. The poor nurse at Emma's bedside shrieked and then cowered on the opposite side of the room from the door. Regina rolled her eyes.

"Quit sniveling, you fool. If I wanted you dead, I'd rip your heart out and have it for lunch. Now, tell me how she is," she ordered the woman, not quite lowering her eyes to Emma's still form yet. Not yet, she told herself.

"S-s-she…" the woman stuttered. Regina's eyes slipped shut as she took a calming breath, chest shaking with the effort.

"Will you please tell me how Emma is?" She forced through clenched teeth, trying her best to be nice.

"She's stable," a voice answered behind her. "Kim, you can go," Dr. Zambrano nodded to the other woman as she grabbed a chart hanging from Emma's bed. "Or as stable as one can be while on life support with a bullet hole in three major organs, two of which still need repairing."

"Do you lurk about and wait for me to appear?" Regina nipped, only half-joking. The woman made Regina uneasy, and that was saying something huge about her.

"I follow the screaming," the doctor answered casually, clicking her pen closed and shoving it into the pocket of her coat. She slid the file back onto the bed and then slipped her hands into her pockets, fixing Regina with curious eyes.

"Why aren't you screaming?" Regina wondered aloud, not meaning to have spoken the question.

"I no longer fear you," the other woman said with a shrug. "Was a soul-seer in the Enchanted Forest. You made me a healer here. I can't see the past or the future, but I do have the ability to view what is in a person's heart… without ripping it out," she added flippantly. She made sure her words hit home; they did. Regina squirmed uncomfortably, and she continued. "I touch a person, and I feel their intentions, their feelings. Makes bad sex a bitch." She laughed in nostalgia and then refocused.

"Sometimes I even get flashes of what they are thinking about in that moment, thoughts… memories." She stared straight into Regina's eyes, the word holding more meaning than the rest.

"You saw what I was thinking when you stitched my leg," Regina confirmed aloud, not really asking a question. She swallowed thickly. "How much?"

"Enough to know that you have the best intentions but very little conviction in them if Sheriff Swan loses her battle. You only want your son to love you as he once did and for Emma to return your deep feelings. You want to believe that you won't let your grief turn to hatred and vengeance again, but you and I both know that you don't."

"Read me again," Regina demanded quietly, and the doctor started at the unpredictable request.

"Are you asking for my sake or yours?" She asked when Regina raised her hands, palms up, towards the doctor.

"I… I'm not sure," she confessed as flashes of Ruby hugging her in the barn flickered behind her eyes. The spontaneous comfort moved something within Regina, something she'd thought died long ago, but the feeling lay dormant so long that she could no longer name it.

"Maybe one day I will, Regina, but not today. I will tell you one thing, though," she nodded towards Emma's still form. "She'll forgive you, for…" the doctor paused as a shiver ran up her spine, shaking her shoulders with the force behind it.

"Belle," Regina quietly finished for her. Dr. Zambrano nodded once and rolled her shoulders, shaking off the uncomfortable feeling associated with what she'd seen.

"For everything," she added and then smiled, face dropping shyly. "She doesn't know how yet, but she's trying." A shock of dark hair fell into her face, and then she was gone, abandoning Regina to her own thoughts, making her wonder what the doctor had felt in Emma to make react so gently. She knew Emma's love ran deep for anyone who was lucky enough to get close. Perhaps it wasn't too late.

After a moment with that thought, she collected herself and forced her eyes to Emma's face. The tubes and machines beeped and whooshed, testing Regina's resolve to be in the same room as the sheriff. She allowed herself a moment to adjust to the harsh noises and gaunt face of the normally vibrant woman before her. Slowly, she slid a slightly more appealing chair than the one in the triage room next to the bed and lowered herself onto the hard cushion.

She brushed her knuckles against Emma's temple and then carefully found a comfortable position around the I.V. and gripped her hand lightly. She seemed so frail, so breakable. She'd done this for her, offered all she had to keep her promise. A single tear rolled onto Regina's cheek.

"Your big, stupid, beautiful heart," Regina berated with a sad smile.

"I love you," she whispered. If Emma had been awake, she probably wouldn't have heard the infinitesimally audible confession. Regina sniffed and dropped her eyes to their joined hands.

"I said goodbye to Daniel today, Emma. If I were honest with myself, I'd say that it was actually easier than I thought it would be, but I'll be honest with you. That was our deal, right? I tell you everything, no bars held." Regina studied Emma's face as if the unconscious woman might have reacted.

"Ruby was there for me. She hugged me after I… after he was gone. She's just a girl, but she's so strong. She has a big, stupid, beautiful heart, just like yours. Maybe you're both descended from mutts. I bet your owner bought you a hideous red leather jacket to take family photos in," Regina chuckled at the image of a huge Golden retriever in Emma's jacket and then sobered.

"Belle has completely stolen that heart of hers. I'm not sure if either of them are aware of it yet, but I think we may have our first case of true Sapphic love on our hands. I'll keep you posted, and don't worry, I'll look after Ruby. She's so tough, but like you, she's so fragile. She's going to need some help navigating through the murky waters of love. She's so terribly confused already and I doubt she'd go to Granny for advice, but she came to me, sort of.

"She asked me a few questions about us. When I knew that I'd fallen for you, those sort of questions. I think she's trying to understand her fierce connection with Belle. I remember the clumsy throes of that kind of love, except their experience is different from mine and from your parents' because they've both suffered. They've already loved and lost without ever really knowing what they had, and now they're terrified that what they share might be the final word in love. It's really sort of beautiful to watch true love blossom from clumsy chivalry and stolen glances."

Regina laughed sadly, remembering Ruby's protectiveness and unwavering support as she helped Belle eat her dinner the previous night. She sobered and pulled nervously at Emma's limp fingers.

"He was my first love," she continued after a moment. "I loved him with my entire soul when I was a girl. I would have been unspeakably happy if we had managed to run away together, but that's not who I am anymore. His soul is… was too good, too pure. He could never have loved the woman I became because he would always see that naïve little girl who followed him around on her horse for two months before ever gathering the nerve to speak to him." Regina laughed at the memory and swiped some tears from her face and waited for Emma to react once again.

"I know. It's difficult to imagine me too shy to speak, but it's true. Like I said, I'm not that person anymore." Her throat constricted, and her eyes dropped back to their hands, finding Emma's unexpressive face too difficult to look at in the moment.

"You hurt me, Emma, when you pulled away from me. I know that I deserved it and that you asked for time to deal with who I am, what I've done, and I didn't respect that. I'm so sorry. But I need you. I know what it feels like to touch you, now, and I'm not sure you'd like who I would become if I lost your touch, your smug smile when you get one up on me." Regina pushed away the thought of her uncertain future with a shake of her head.

"I thought I needed him, but he couldn't love my darkness, which meant that he could never truly love all of me. It was there long before I ever summoned Rumpelstiltskin, my mother made quite certain of that," Regina confessed bitterly.

"I pushed it away, denied it because I didn't want to admit that I was so very similar to the woman who tortured me the first 18 years of life. I loved it, though, giving into the darkness. It was wild and liberating. I love using magic. I love the way it makes me feel, the power and control. I was untouchable, but now, I think I want you to touch me, Emma. You make me want to be better. Don't you dare leave me, you fool."

Regina bowed her head when a spontaneous sob stole her breath at the truth behind her words. She pressed her forehead into Emma's hand and let go, tear after tear flowing onto the scratchy white blanket. All of the torment and torture at her mother's hands flowed through them, the guilt of her own actions, the ache she'd harbored her entire life for a love she believed would never find her. They washed the darkness in her soul upon Emma's hand and left it there for the Savior to cradle and control as she wished.

_You make me love the light. _Regina finished silently when her voice became lost in the torrent of tears.


	12. Ambivalent Loss

Hello Sweet Doves! So, after that last chapter, I crawled into the fetal position, watched some SwanQueen fanvids and OUaT bloopers, listened to some Lindsey Stirling and then came up with this next scene. Some fluff and angst to get us from point A to point B.

Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: Shatter Me by Lzzy Hale and Lindsey Stirling, We Found Love by Lindsey Stirling and VenTribe, Off With Her Head and Only a Memory by Icon for Hire

* * *

Over the next ten days, the wolf, the witch and the librarian developed a schedule naturally. Henry returned to school. Regina fixed breakfast form all four, and then Belle walked him to the bus stop and saw him off as Regina still terrified most of the citizens of Storybrooke. She cared little what they thought of her, but she wanted the other children to include Henry again. Staying out of sight was the best way to achieve that. She and Ruby cleaned up breakfast, and then the young woman flitted off on whatever frivolous crisis the general populace of fairy tale characters blew out of proportion.

Nearly everyday, Stacy called, and before she'd stated her issue, Regina magic flashed into the mayor's office to avoid turning heat onto the young mayor for her presence. Every time it pleased her to see that Stacy hadn't redecorated, insisting that she only held the position until the people asked for Regina to come back.

At noon, Regina went to see Archie, and then had lunch at Granny's with Ruby at one-thirty, just after the lunch rush. They never spoke about what happened in the stables, but any remaining tension that had lingered between them disappeared with Daniel. At two-fifteen, Regina went to the kitchen and helped Granny. She prepared pies from scratch at first, but with Ruby keeping order full time, Granny wasn't shy about handing her a spatula if a burger needed flipped. She knew that her allies intentionally filled her schedule with things she loved doing, kept her mind off the fact that Emma hadn't woken yet.

Dr. Zambrano kept her promise and pulled the savior through her surgery with minimal hiccups but kept her in a comma for the next four days until Emma was strong enough to be extubated. Lucky for Emma that Zambrano stepped in because Whale and his arm disappeared the day after he brought Daniel back. No had seen or heard from him since then.

This was day six that Emma stubbornly refused to open her eyes, and the entire town felt the strain, but no one more than Regina and Henry. The boy's nightmares about the room of flames and the woman in the corner who stared at him were increasing in length and intensity. So much, that Regina kept him home from school one day last week and watched over him, bringing him back to reality at any sign of disturbance. It helped, and the next day, the boy begged to go back to a friend he'd made.

At three-thirty, Belle collected Henry from school and ushered him to the library to help her clean and sort through books, and Regina sat with Emma. She spoke freely to the unconscious woman, telling her all of the secrets she wasn't strong enough to say aloud while looking into those bright green eyes, everything from her mother's abuse to how much she secretly enjoyed Ruby's bodacious personality and comfortable company.

At five-fifteen sharp everyday, Belle and Henry bumbled into Emma's room, squealing about the books they discovered that day and covered with dust and who knew what else from the aged library. They helped him with his homework and talked to Emma until Ruby arrived between six and seven. She always leaned down and whispered something into Emma's ear and then escorted them all to the Mills' mansion in the cruiser. If Henry hadn't finished his school work, he and Belle disappeared to the dining room to finish. If he had, they worked on Henry's foreign language skills in the living room.

He was completely smitten with the young woman, and so was Ruby.

She paused a few minutes every evening and simply watched Belle and Henry as they worked before joining Regina in the kitchen for a drink as the former mayor prepared their dinner. Most nights, they spoke very little during this time and just enjoyed being comfortable enough to be silent in the presence of another human being. Sometimes Ruby vented about something particularly stupid that on of the townsfolk had done.

And sometimes Regina cried at the stove as she stirred vegetables or pasta. Ruby always came to her, wrapping her arms around the broken woman like she had that day in the stables. She never looked at Regina when she cried, knowing it would have destroyed any chance Ruby had to comfort her. She accepted it as long as she maintained the illusion that Ruby hadn't seen her tears.

It wasn't a particularly bad schedule, but everyone felt the absence of the blonde woman in the hospital bed across town.

Regina pulled from her musing as the bell above Granny's door jingled. It was one-thirty, and Ruby arrived right on time. She entered confidently in her Deputy's uniform that Emma blatantly refused to wear it when she'd taken the job. The younger woman had wanted it, though, perhaps as reassurance for herself or to remind people that she no longer waited tables at Granny's.

Either way, the girl's entire demeanor changed when she donned the tan button-up shirt and black slacks. Regina chuckled the first time she saw it on the tall, lanky woman, but Ruby merely tipped her chin upwards and slid her gun into the holster at her hip. She'd changed so very much in the past two weeks, grown up, grown into herself, and Regina prided herself on being a part of that.

Ruby slipped into the kitchen and gave Granny a kiss and then slumped into the booth across from her, just like she'd done for the past ten days. Today, though, something was different. Regina sensed it in the girl's rigid body language.

"What's happened, Wolf Pup?" Jostled Regina carefully, asking the girl to open up without being too serious, as was their usual dance.

Ruby tapped the knuckles of her fist on the table a few times and then leaned forward. "Belle finally told me what The Evil Queen did to her last night."

Regina's face fell, eyes finding her hands very interesting. She knew her tentative friendship with Ruby had a limited number of days, but she hadn't expected it to cut as deeply as it did. She truly cared for the girl in all of her foolishness and fake bravado and awkward sexuality. She ran a hand over her hair and then slid out of the booth.

"I'll go," Regina said quietly.

"Hey," Ruby grabbed her hand as she passed and stopped her in her tracks. "I said The Evil Queen, not Regina."

Regina's breath came sharply and her gaze jerked towards the deputy. Had she heard correctly? Ruby's big sad puppy eyes told so much of the girl's inner workings, and Regina studied them carefully, finding to no trickery behind her words.

"I just wanted you to know that I knew. I'm not here to punish Regina, my friend." Ruby stood, hand still gripping Regina's tightly. "I'm here to tell her that I'm proud of her. I'm proud to call Regina Mills my friend," Ruby stated firmly, "especially now that I know how much strength it takes for her to walk around this town with her head held high. How much it hurts her to feel the guilt of her actions everyday while knowing there is truly nothing she can do to make up for it. In spite of that, she'd trying. Belle was right, you know, that night in your study. The Evil Queen died when you cast that curse. I only hope that one day everyone else will let her, so that Regina Mills might actually live."

Ruby grunted when Regina slammed into her. They had never hugged like real people, and it caught Ruby off guard. They always hugged each other from behind because it worked for them, but Ruby immediately wrapped her arms around Regina's back and smiled into her hair.

"You have a thing for law enforcement, don't you girl?" Granny snipped when the hugged lingered an awkward amount of time.

Regina pulled back with a smile and then, to everyone's shock and terror who remained in the dinner, kissed the side of Granny's head before returning to her side of the booth. Granny harrumphed but said nothing as she sat their food in front of them.

"Proud of you," she whispered at Ruby before turning around.

"What was that?" The girl teased her grandmother, only ever having heard those words once before form her grandmother.

"You heard me," Granny muttered. She stopped and glanced at Regina over her shoulder. "Proud of you, too." And then she stomped back to the kitchen before Regina responded.

"She's going soft in her old age," Ruby wiggled a fry towards the kitchen and leaned forward conspiratorially and pointed the fry at her temple, "in the head."

"So, you're not mad at me? You don't hate me?" Regina loathed the insecurity in her voice, but she needed to know. Ruby sighed.

"I'm pissed as hell about what happened to Belle, but I never knew that woman, Regina. I only know you, and as far as I am concerned, aside from making me eat vegetables everyday, you are as far from evil as they come. Snow told me about the things you did, but I can't help thinking there is more to the story than she knows. For example, she told me that Daniel left you, but that's not entirely true, is it? She was a child when you married her father. People hide things from children, and no matter how much they think they know, it's never really the full truth." Her fry broke under the strain of her speech. She stared at it for a moment and then popped it in her mouth.

"No, it isn't," Regina agreed as she thought of how much her son misunderstood about the whole situation.

"I'm angry," Ruby said again. "I'm trying not to make you into her, okay? Even when Belle was talking about it, she never said your name. She always said The Evil Queen. I think she was making the distinction between you and her. I mean, if Belle can forgive, then it'd be a little silly of me to hang onto it, right? I'm sure something far worse happened to The Evil Queen to make her do the things she did. We just don't get to hear those parts of the story." Ruby sighed and then shoved some fries in her mouth.

Unlike Emma, when Ruby was upset, she ate to comfort herself. Regina's brow furrowed sadly. She missed Emma. She was doing her best, but everyday the hollowing ache in her chest wore her resolve to be good and not use magic. She'd lose it soon, and there wasn't a thing anyone could have done to stop it.

"I need to tell Belle I'm a werewolf," Ruby spurted suddenly, and Regina dragged her mind back to the conversation.

"So, tell her," Regina deadpanned and picked through her grilled chicken salad.

"You think she'd be okay with it?" Ruby's terrified eyes glanced up though her head stayed bowed towards her plate.

"Ruby…" Regina massaged her temple and propped her head on her hand. "You truly don't see the way that girl looks at you, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Ruby held a French fry in the glob of ketchup on her plate as the grease stick was forgotten in lieu of uncovering Regina's wisdom.

"I mean, it's that same irritatingly lovesick gaze that Snow and her idiot use when looking at each other." Regina rolled her eyes to emphasize her words.

"You mean the one you use when you're talking to Emma?" Ruby fixed her gleeful eyes on the former mayor, waiting for a reaction.

"If you weren't in uniform, I'd flip this bleu cheese dressing at you," Regina seethed, Red had the good sense to bow her head before smiling. She had no doubt that Regina would make good on her threat if she continued pushing.

"Anyway, wolf's time is coming up in like 3 days. I need to tell her. I need to find my cloak. I've checked everywhere. Here. Every single box and drawer in the Inn. Gold's. It's gone, and I've no clue where to get another one. Hey! You couldn't charm something for me, could you? Something smaller, like a ring or a necklace?" Regina's heart fell at Ruby's hopeful eyes.

"I wouldn't be able to do that without my mother's spell book, and I suspect Gold has it. She was the one who enchanted the cloak. Did you know that?" The older woman wanted to protect the naïve deputy, but she also believed Ruby strong enough to know the truth about her life.

"Really?" Regina nodded. "Huh. Small world." Well, that was easier than expected.

"Are you even certain that you will change?" Regina asked suddenly.

"Not 100 percent, but I have everything else, the strength, the sense of smell, the hearing, the hunger, the rage. So, it pretty much tells me that in three days, Storybrooke's acting sheriff is going to be a murderous canine and there is nothing anyone can do to stop me." Ruby's face fell dejectedly, hauntingly, and she buried her face in her cheeseburger.

"I can stop you," Regina said with a shrug and nonchalantly brought a piece of chicken to her mouth.

"Would you? I mean, don't wait for it to happen, just knock me out or something. Maybe I could lock myself in jail." Ruby was truly upset by her wolf, and Regina was clueless as to how to help.

"You controlled it once before. You'll learn control once more. If you step out of line, I'll singe your fur and spank you." Regina raised one thin eyebrow as the implication of what she'd said dawned on her. Ruby froze, fry halfway to her mouth.

"Promise?" She said in a deep, thick voice, and Regina rolled her eyes as red crept up her neck. What the hell was this wolf doing to her? She'd never liked dogs.

Regina was saved by the sudden blaring of "Hungry Like a Wolf" by Steppenwolf. Ruby sighed and pulled a cell phone from the front pocket of her uniform top.

"Sheriff," she barked, and Regina surprised everyone when she let out one sharp laugh. Only Ruby would make a joke out of eating someone in the name of the law. "Oh hey Grumpy. What? You did? I'll be there in a minute!" She snapped the phone shut and bounced in her seat.

"They found diamonds in the mines!" Ruby whispered excitedly. "We can get the hat to work again!" She grabbed the rest of her uneaten burger and clamored out the door before Regina responded.

She smiled sadly, slipped a twenty onto the table and then followed Ruby out the door. Emma needed to know that they might have found a way to bring her parents back. Her steps were labored as she gathered her thoughts. Her leg still stretched and burned occasionally, but she'd thankfully been able to get back into her heels comfortably enough. She felt incomplete without them tapping out her own personal theme song.

When she entered the hospital, the receptionist nodded at her, and she returned it. They never spoke, but at least most everyone had stopped cowering in her presence. Ruby had begun escorting her so that she needn't use magic just to visit Emma, much to Dr. Zambrano's chagrin, but a few days ago she'd been called away to do "sheriff-y things," so Regina came on her own, and the hospital hadn't fallen down. So, they all decided to just ignore the dark woman and allowed her to come and go as she pleased as long as she stayed calm and silent.

Like always, Emma lay unmoving in the irritatingly bright room, and like always, Regina closed the curtains in a huff. Hadn't these idiots realized yet that Emma didn't like the bright light of morning?

"Hi," she said shyly when she finished fussing with the blinds. She pressed a kiss to Emma's temple and then smoothed her hair.

"You were right, Emma. The fairy dust returned with magic. There's always a way as much as I begrudgingly admit it. I thought perhaps I might spend some extra time with you today to celebrate." She chuckled at herself as she pressed her forehead into Emma's temple.

"It's time to wake up now, Darling," she whispered thickly, fighting back the tears that always came when she said this to Emma. Like always, Emma remained silent, sleeping through her anguish.

Regina pulled back and sat primly in the chair at Emma's side. "I don't much feel like talking today either. How about some television?" She glanced at Emma's face, knowing a response was impossible and then pressed the button built into the bed that controlled the T.V.

She never even registered anything flashing across the screen, her gaze mostly on Emma's knuckles where her thumb brushed gentle strokes over and over. She ached to feel the gentle pressure of Emma's fingers against her own, but like always, it never came. Regina bowed her head when her throat tightened with tears. How long would Emma punish her?

"She's getting better, Regina," a soft voice comforted from the door.

"You're late, Doctor, I've been here a while," Regina sniffed and glared at the woman regally.

"Didn't hear any screaming. Thought you skipped today's visit," Dr. Zambrano shrugged and then checked Emma's chart. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but she is improving. Blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels, they're all getting stronger. She's fine, Regina. She's just being stubborn."

"Typical, Miss Swan," Regina berated the sleeping savior. Zambrano smirked and then left the room without further comment.

Regina settled into the chair again and resumed staring at their joined hands, willing Emma to return her desperate grasp. She knew she'd die a little when Emma awoken and denied her the simple pleasure of touching her, but at least she'd have her back. This ambivalent loss tore her apart worst than watching Emma slip from her grasp.

Her phone buzzed, and Regina's brow scrunched as she realized it was already five. She'd been staring at their hands for three hours. She punched the button to read the text, lips quirking against her will when she saw Ruby's name. The girl sent some pretty colorful texts.

_Hey Sweet Thang, get your tight ass over to Granny's. We're drinking with dwarves tonight. _

_Classy. Is Henry there?_ Regina replied before standing. There wasn't any point resisting because Ruby would relentlessly hound her until she agreed.

_Yep. He's getting drunk on cocoa. _Regina rolled her eyes as she shoved her phone in her jacket pocket.

"I'll get the idiots back for you. I promise. Don't let go, Savior," Regina whispered and then pressed her lips to Emma's forehead, resting them there for a long time before she found the strength to move again.

She walked quickly towards the door, and just as she came into view of the nurses, she grinned wickedly, waved her hands above her head and disappeared in a flourish of purple haze. She imagined their anxious faces as she reappeared on the walkway of Granny's, pace not faltering one bit from that set at the hospital, and chuckled. The confidence that came with using magic filled her, and she opened the door confidently.

All eyes fell to her, drinks paused halfway to mouths, but she ignored it all and glided directly to her son. His back was to her, and he lapped up whatever story Belle told him. They were the only ones who hadn't noticed her entrance, too engrossed in their story to hear anything else.

"Miss French," Regina greeted cordially, and the skin around Belle's eyes tightened slightly. Ruby had been right. She was angry and traumatized, but she was trying.

"Mom!" Henry greeted more enthusiastically and then hugged her, killing whatever tension had begun building between her and Belle.

"Hello Sweetheart," Regina said gently and dropped a kiss onto his head.

"Mom, Belle is teaching me Latin. Did you know that Regina means "queen" in Latin?" Henry boiled and spewed with his excitement, and Regina took a steadying breath.

"I did," she smiled down at her son, her whole world.

"Oh, no you don't. Umm, excuse me," Belle said awkwardly, a flash of irritation in her eyes, and Regina raised an eyebrow as she watched her cross to Ruby and Billy.

Regina was surprised to see Ruby scantily clad in her normal, revealing waitress garb and packing around a bus pan. Granny must have told her that if she wanted to open after restaurant hours then she'd be running the joint. Regina ignored the reasons for her state of dress, or lack thereof, and studied the interaction between Ruby and Billy with curiosity.

She flirted back, but it was half-hearted as she shifted her weight from one foot to another and crossed one arm over her chest to grip the other tightly. Ruby was uncomfortable with the attention because she'd fallen head over hills for a certain librarian, but no one knew that but them and Henry. He wasn't telling anyone any time soon.

Billy stuttered about getting together later as Belle sidled up to a flustered Ruby.

"Actually, we have plans," Belle said pointedly and slipped a possessive arm around the wolf's waist. Regina's eyebrows shot towards the sky, and her mouth fell open before she stopped the reactions. She'd never pegged Belle as the jealous type.

"Uh yes," Ruby stuttered, clearly as surprised as Regina. "Girls' night. I'm bringing the cheese," Ruby gushed, thankful for the save from her new friend. Her eyes widened and almost imperceptibly slid to Belle's hand at her side as the shorter woman slipped two fingers into the waist of her tight pants, right over her hip bone.

"Uhh!" Ruby exclaimed and jumped at the jolt that shot through her. She babbled, knowing her outburst needed explanation. "Not that that has anything to do with you being a mouse. Shit. I'm sorry. It's for the… wine," a very flustered and furiously blushing Ruby finished.

"Well, some other time, then," Billy smiled shyly at her, clearly ignorant to the obvious territory claim Belle had just thrown down.

Ruby glared down at the smaller woman and then clutched her hand painfully as she ripped it away from her hip. Regina raised an eyebrow as she thought Ruby might have taken Belle right there on the table had the diner not been full. She shoved the dish pan into the librarian's hands, pointing towards the kitchen before gathering a few more glasses in her own. She surveyed the room to see who might have watched their little interaction and then slipped into the kitchen behind Belle. Regina made a mental note to give them the guest room before Henry discovered how lesbian sex worked.

"Mom, are you listening to me?" Henry asked in a huff. She wiped a glob of whipped cream from his cheek and smiled.

"Yes, Sweetheart, but I think maybe we should wait until tomorrow before we go see Emma again. Dr. Zambrano said that she is getting stronger and that she should be awake any day now. Emma's just being stubborn," she whispered the last part conspiratorially and winked. Just because she was terrified that Emma wouldn't awaken didn't give her cause to alarm their son.

"But I don't want to go to bed," Henry admitted sadly and stared into his cocoa.

"The dream?" Regina already knew the answer, but Henry nodded anyway. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. It's only temporary." She brushed her fingers through his hair soothingly as Ruby's earlier words came back to her. _People hide things from children. _And she was. She couldn't prove anything, but she feared that Henry's dream indicated something more than the nightmare of child. As much as it frustrated her, she needed to ask Gold.

"Henry, why don't you get yourself another cocoa and grab me a coffee. I need to use the restroom." Regina brushed his hair again and then disappeared down the hall towards the back door.

She leaned against the wall and caught her breath, trying not to think about what Gold might want in return for helping Henry. She'd paid his prices before and would again for Henry, but that hadn't made the thought any better. Just one minute longer, she told herself, and then she forced herself to return to the main room.

She opened her eyes to move when suddenly fingers grabbed her throat. She sputtered and oriented her gaze to the face attached to the hand. King George. They'd been allied against Snow and James, so why the hell was she being attacked.

"I know you're trying to bring them back," he seethed into her ear, breath hot against her neck.

"And?" Regina's deep, calm voice rumbled against his hand.

"And I won't let you," he vowed. She laughed, a deep chuckle, reminding him exactly whose throat was in his hand.

"Oh, you pathetic thing. Not satisfied as a banker? Mm, come to think of it, you were never that good with money. That is why you whored your son out to Midas' daughter, wasn't it?" His hand tightened, and she sneered, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear. She only needed to blink to throw him against the wall, but she refrained from using her magic to harm another unless absolutely necessary, knowing one step in that direction without Emma's guidance back to the light would be her undoing in her compromised state.

"If they come back, I pull the plug on your savior," he growled and then was met with another more dangerous snarl.

Thin but strong fingers slid around his wrist at Regina's throat and squeezed. He released the former queen, but Red hadn't released him. Regina watched breathlessly, aroused by the dark rage simmering in Ruby's normally kind and compassionate eyes. The man fell to his knees with a sharp cry as a sickening crack echoed off the walls. Regina spared a glance at the dining room, but no one seemed to have heard over the cacophony of happily celebrating dwarves.

Her chest heaved when Ruby's yellow glow met her glazed brown. The darkness and rage in her reflected the darkness and rage in the young wolf, and if she'd been half as sexy as the deputy was right now, she now understood her many bed offers from men and women alike. She shook her head.

"Release him, Red," Regina's voice still rumbled with her fading passion, but she sat a calm and innocent hand on Ruby's forearm.

"This is not a path you want to walk, Wolf," Regina promised in a harsh whisper. "Release him." Ruby nodded once and loosened her grip on the crushed wrist. She grabbed the man's coat and hauled him to his feet and then walked him to the dining room.

"He attacked Regina," came the tight explanation when all eyes turned to the waitress and her captive. She opened the front door and effortlessly tossed the man over the steps and onto the walkway. He rolled a few feet and then groaned.

Red whipped away from the door, eyes promising that anyone who challenged her decision would be subjected to a similar fate. She stalked to the kitchen and disappeared behind the swinging doors. Belle glanced at Regina rubbing her throat and then at the kitchen doors and then at Regina again. Regina waved her hand, dismissing her to follow Ruby, and Belle smiled gratefully.

Ruby paced in the pantry near the door of the walk-in freezer. Her hands clenched and released, muscles in her forearms bouncing and bulging as she worked to control her anger. Belle watched for a moment and then stepped into the pantry, confident that Ruby would never have harmed her in any way.

"Ruby?" She called gently, and the other woman's head snapped to attention. Belle gasped when the usual deep chocolate color of Ruby's eyes had been replaced with a harsh yellow glow.

She stepped back instinctively, and her spine met the door frame. She could have easily left, but she pressed herself into the frame and watched Ruby approach her with slow steps. Belle swallowed audibly when Ruby pressed her tall body into her. The corner of the wood pressed painfully into her back, but she protested nothing.

And then Ruby's lips captured hers.

It wasn't sweet and gentle like the ones they'd shared at the foot of the stairs. This was wild and passionate, revealing a primitive need inside Ruby that she normally clutched closely to her chest until she lost control of her anger. Regina's glazed eyes flashed through her mind, and Ruby dug her fingers into Belle's shoulders. Regina had wanted her to give into the darkness, the rage that they both loved so much, but she hadn't allowed it. Ruby pulled back as quickly as she'd come, guilt in her now brown eyes.

Belle watched the transformation, chest heaving.

"Belle, I'm sor…" Ruby stopped mid-apology when Belle rushed at her.

Air whooshed out in a grunt when her back hit the freezer door. Belle reclaimed her lips before she recovered. Her passion matched Ruby's rage, and the wolf pulled their hips together forcefully. This kiss said so many things without words. Belle told her that she had seen and accepted her rage, that she wanted Ruby as she was, the rage, the wolf, the awkward deputy who opened doors for her. Most of all, it told Ruby that it was acceptable that she viewed her as a sexual being, something which Ruby had fought from day one after seeing how broken and abused the librarian had been. She stopped fighting.

Belle gasped in surprise when Ruby easily lifted her and flipped their positions, pressing Belle against the freezer and holding her in place with hips between her legs and strong hands on her bare thighs. She wrapped her legs around the slim waist in front of her and tipped her head against the freezer with a small thump when Ruby's lips left hers and moved down her neck.

One hand clutched Ruby's back and the other tangled in Ruby's long black hair, holding her head in place, encouraging her to continue her exploration of skin. Before she stopped them, Belle's hips rolled against Ruby's stomach when the wolf bit down on the muscle between her neck and shoulder. The wolf growled and repeated the action, moaning slightly when Belle's hips pressed against her again. Her mind swirled with the sensations this quietly fierce librarian ignited within her.

Belle panted and jerked Ruby's mouth from her skin with a sharp tug on her hair. Ruby's eyes flashed yellow again as her arousal spiked at the less-than-gentle command. Belle watched the change with a heaving chest. She hadn't a clue why Ruby's eyes morphed like that, but she knew that she'd done something right. She pulled Ruby's lips into hers again, teeth clanking together with the force.

One of Ruby's hands slid up her thigh, dragging the flimsy material of the cotton dress with it. She reminded herself that she should slow down, enjoyed this moment, but she wanted Belle in the worst way. The closer she came to wolf's moon, the angrier and hornier she became, and the wolf had been suppressed for 28 years because of the curse. At least that's what she told herself, unwilling yet to consider the possibility that Belle's thrall on her heart caused the overwhelming reactions.

Belle broke the kiss when Ruby's hand reached her bare hip, and Ruby nearly lost her grip on the smaller woman when she realized that Belle wore no underwear. Belle panted and gave Ruby an open-lipped smile.

"We never had such infernal things in our land," she offered simply, her accent thicker in her sensitized state. Ruby's eyes flashed again, and Belle smiled wider. She'd done that to Ruby with only her words. It was quite a sight to behold.

"I do hope you don't teach my son such things about our land, Miss French," Regina's gravely voice stretched across the pantry from the door, and Ruby's grip on Belle slipped.

The librarian lowered her legs slowly, still held in place by Ruby's hips, and it was absolute torture to have her entire weight held in the one spot she most needed pressure. Ruby grabbed her ribs with shaking hands and stepped away, her hands keeping her upright as she found her footing. Ruby then pressed both hands into the door above Belle and turned her head enough to see Regina out of one eye.

"Good reason. Now, witch." Ruby's dangerously deep voice demanded. Regina raised one thin eyebrow in amusement.

"Don't let me stop you," she winked, an unusual glint of excitement in her eyes. "But I thought you'd like to know. She woke up." She smiled, the vein in her forehead popping out to proudly display the deep emotions the former mayor would never display openly.

"Why haven't you poofed there yet, woman?" Ruby demanded.

"Dr. Zambrano said there was a problem. Emma apparently 'freaked out' and they had to sedate her," Regina air quote the doctor's exact words. "Not very clinical, but an effective description." They all knew that she hid behind her eloquent words when her emotions became too intense.

"You need us to watch Henry?" Belle asked underneath Ruby's arm, and the former mayor nodded once.

"At least until I figure out exactly what happened with Emma's episode. He doesn't know yet that she's awoken. I'll call when it is acceptable to bring him, but if he is asleep, then it will wait until morning as he hasn't been sleeping well as it is." Regina explained, worry in her voice at both her son and his other mother.

"Just go, Regina, poof, be gone and stop staring, perv. We got the kid, and uhhh," Ruby squirmed as the heat between her legs throbbed and the muscles at the bottom of her stomach clenched. "We need a minute anyway."

"Miss Lucas, if you intend to finish what you've started, you could simply give me the keys to Emma's cruiser," Regina pestered the young woman.

"We'll be there in 20 minutes. We'll take Henry up to Granny," Belle assured as she stepped beneath Ruby's arm, clearly more in control than the wolf. She straightened her dress and smoothed the wrinkles. Ruby collapsed and turned at the same time so that her back supported her against the door.

"Yep," she agreed less than enthusiastically. "No bangin' on babysitting duty," she saluted Regina with a sloppy, shaking hand. The dark woman narrowed her eyes at the crude choice of words and then poofed away.

Belle whipped around and crossed the floor until she was pressed into Ruby again. She kissed her chastely and snaked her arms around Ruby's waist and then rested her head against Ruby's chest. Ruby's hands raised as far as her hips but struggled to rise further. Her heart pounded against Belle's ear, and she knew the other women felt it.

"Did I do that or is part of it from being embarrassed that we got caught?" Belle traced a finger where she figured Ruby's heart rested in her chest.

"Belle, that was certainly nothing to be embarrassed about," Ruby replied reverently, focusing on anything except Belle's finger drawing patterns on her chest. Good grief, what had this woman done to her?

"Belle?" Ruby said as he eyes closed.

"Hmm?" the shorter woman hummed against her chest, and Ruby squirmed.

"I… I really need you to…" _Fuck me hard. _Ruby finished silently and bit her lip. "Get off me before I break my promise to Regina." Red choked out as her fingers clenched the hips beneath them painfully. Belle winced at the sensation, not all unpleasant, and pulled back to gaze up at her, what… friend, girlfriend, lover?

Ruby's eyes flashed yellow and then brown and then back to yellow, and each time her fingers clenched or released her hips. "Why do your eyes do that?" She wondered, not having meant to speak the words aloud.

"Belle!" Ruby jerked their hips together forcefully, fingers digging trenches in Belle's flesh. Her eyes glowed and then faded back to brown. Ruby thumped her head hard against the freezer, hoping the pain distracted her enough to gain control.

Belle pulled out of her grasp and backed up a few steps, not out of fear, just fascination that whatever gripped Ruby from the inside clearly took control when she did something that aroused Ruby. The taller woman panted and slammed her fists straight back into the door holding her weight. Belle gasped at the indentations they left behind.

"I'm a werewolf," Red confessed through clenched teeth, her control beginning to reassert itself over her primal urges.

"What?" Belle's eye widened in shock but not fear. It was a start.

"A werewolf. I change under the full moon. When I have complete control, I don't even need the moon. Superhuman strength, nearly uncontrollable rage, the whole shebang." Ruby explained quickly before she lost her nerve.

"What about uncontrollable, umm, desire?" Belle asked, looking up at her almost shyly but with a seriousness that stopped Ruby's heart.

"As you can see…" Ruby waved her hand over the length of her torso, not quite sure what Belle hinted at.

"So, it wasn't me then? Your racing heart?" Belle gestured in her general direction and then dropped the hand to the other one. Her face fell as disappointment stung in the back of her throat and tightened the skin around her eyes with tears.

"It was you," Ruby stated in a dangerously deep voice that tumbled down Belle's spine. "If I wanted just anybody, I'd have had Billy earlier. Trust me when I say that I might have even had a go at Regina." Belle's forehead scrunched in question, and Ruby waved her hand in dismissal.

"We had a moment after I pulled Spencer off of her. Her magic and my wolf, I think they might come from the same place. Something that we both barely have control over but something that neither one of us can get rid of. It's something that was forced onto both of us against our wills.

"So, yes, I feel that urge, too, but not like this, Belle. I've never been out of control before, not like this, not before the wolf's moon. During maybe, but never before. It's irritating as hell, but I've never been out of my mind. It's you. It's all for you," Ruby finished breathlessly.

"I'm not a wolf, Ruby," Belle started as she took a few steps towards the panting woman. She traced Ruby's lips with her fingers as she continued in a whisper, "but I think I was out of control, too."

Her fingers clenched into a fist and she stepped back once more. "I'm going to go get Henry and take him upstairs. I will be back in exactly ten minutes," she checked her watch. "If you need to… uhh… finish," she stuttered, but Ruby understood her meaning.

Ruby nodded enthusiastically. "Probably for the best or I'm not going to be able to be around you for the rest of the night," Ruby admitted honestly. She pressed against the freezer until she heard the swinging swoosh of Belle leaving the kitchen and then slid to the floor in a head. What the hell happened to her control?


	13. I Will Try to Fix You

Greetings Doves! So, please forgive my lack of medical knowledge. I just wrote what seemed plausible and worked for my purposes. That said, be gentle if I've totally screwed something up. I rewrote this one at least 5 different times. It'll break your heart, but it just simply had to be this way.

Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews and follows. They truly brighten my day.

Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: We Found Love by Ed Sheeran, Fix You by Mysha Didi (cover that is so much better than Coldplay's original)

* * *

When Regina materialized outside Emma's room, she was moving, like she'd only been walking down the hall instead of rearranging all of her molecules in order to teleport from one place to another. Dr. Zambrano leaned over Emma's stomach area while a nurse held Emma's gown just below her breasts. Had she torn stitches loose when she woke up? Before anyone warned her against it, Regina stepped into the room and crossed to the foot of Emma's bed.

Her blood ran cold. A hole about the size of a nickel bled slightly just below her belly button, a six inch incision ran along the right side of her ribs, presumably to drain the fluid that had built up in her chest and possibly to repair her lung, and another about the same length stretched horizontally across her belly about 3 inches above the bullet's entry hole. Regina shivered.

"Gina…" Emma said drowsily. "Want. 'Gina." Her green eyes crossed and then focused as she fought through the sedative haze. It took Regina a moment to realize that Emma wasn't actually speaking to her. She called out for her. Dr. Zambrano tossed her a sympathetic gaze and then returned to the bullet hole that trickled with blood.

"I'm sorry, Regina. I didn't want to give her enough to knock her out lest she slipped back into the coma. We need to keep her awake for a little while longer. I'll give her some pain medication after the sedative wears off, it will lessen the risk of her going back under too deeply," the doctor explained while she worked. Her shoulders were tensed and a pained expression fell across her usually placid features.

"Doctor, are you alright?" Regina asked carefully. They hadn't yet reached friend status, but they weren't exactly unconnected either.

"She's in pain," Dr. Zambrano whispered, voice harsh as though she fought tears of her own.

"She's been shot, of course she's in pain," Regina snipped before she stopped herself.

"Kim, please give us a moment alone," she asked politely of her assisting nurse who nodded uncertainly and then left the room without question.

"It's not that kind of pain, Regina," the healer paused her work and wiped her forehead with her arm. "I hadn't felt it before when she was in the coma because her feelings and intentions were dulled, but now…" she woman shuddered, and Regina clenched her hands into fists, stopped them from reaching out to the woman. What a curse to feel everyone's pain simply by touching them.

"Her pain might actually be worst than yours," the doctor admitted before she thought about the implications of her words. How much should be revealed? How far could she go before she betrayed Emma? Regina waited impatiently for the doctor to continue.

"She needs help, Regina," she straightened and fixed Regina with hazy, tortured eyes. "She's not going to make it much longer. Most scientists don't believe in souls, but I've felt too many things in my life not to, and hers is letting go. It might be the reason why it took her so long to snap out of her coma. The anger you've felt your entire life? The pain and suffering you went through, you used your magic and your power to alleviate that strain. It cost you a bit more grief in the form of guilt for what you've done, but it was an outlet, no matter how unhealthy. Emma went through the same type of pain in the foster system, no outlet, no parents.

"I know what your mother did to you, but in her own sick way she loved you and took care of you the best way she knew how. Emma never had that, and now hers might be dead. She wants to save you so desperately so that Henry will have someone to look out for him, to love him like neither of you ever had. And then… she…"

"Doctor, are you telling me that Emma Swan intends to take her own life?" It wasn't true. It couldn't be, not her Emma.

"Yes," the tortured woman breathed and then steeled herself with a deep breath as she resumed her work on Emma's stomach.

Her face twisted when she touched Emma and a solitary tear slid down her nose and dripped onto the blanket covering Emma's hips. One touch from Emma reduced this woman to tears, someone who had probably seen more suffering than Regina had caused. Regina felt a tear of her own tumble down her cheek and wiped it away quickly. Despite what she'd told Emma the night she confessed her crimes against Belle, Regina never truly wished to die.

It wasn't a surprise with this knowledge why Emma barely ate and tossed through disturbed sleep night after night. She wanted to save everyone, and then she wanted to disappear.

Regina stepped around the bed and leaned over Emma's face, tucking some blonde hair behind and ear. "Don't you dare leave me," Regina whispered when Emma's eyes finally focused on hers, and then she lowered her mouth to Emma's. It was light, a chaste promise of things to come if the savior clung to life, clung to her, instead of letting go.

"Regina?" Emma questioned groggily, eyes crossing once before refocusing.

"I'm here," Regina smoothed her hair. "I've always been right here. Let me take your pain, Emma," Regina pleaded, knowing that Emma comprehended very little of what she was saying.

"I'm strong enough, Emma, if you let me be." Tears dripped onto Emma's chest, and Regina cared nothing about them, let the world see her love for this woman.

Dr. Zambrano finished her work and then ripped her gloves off. She tossed them into the hazardous waste trash can and then braced herself against the sink. Her shoulders shook violently with silent tears.

"Regina," she whispered, not bothering to turn and look at the woman, not stopping to see if the dark woman listened. "Tell her that you'd never hurt her the way you hurt Belle."

"No," Regina whispered as her head snapped towards the woman's back. "Please," she begged and then turned her eyes back to Emma's face when the other woman offered nothing else.

"I've said too much. I should go. I'll be back in about an hour to give her some morphine," Dr. Zambrano said and left the room before Regina asked her to stay and tell her more of Emma's fears and reservations.

Regina studied Emma's slack face and unfocused eyes. The medication was a mercy if Emma truly felt the amount of pain that Dr. Zambrano had, except she felt it all day every day. Yet, somewhere inside of her, she found the heart to fake smiles and save lives.

She grabbed the chair and shoved it against the bed without removing her hand from Emma's face. Slowly, she lowered her shaking body to the chair. Her head nestled against Emma's shoulder, and her hand slid to Emma's shoulder, holding her chest above her incisions and injuries. Her other hand slid beneath Emma's forearm and held it tightly. The position wasn't particularly comfortable, but it was one that she maintained for a long time.

Ruby slipped into the room a little while later, and Regina only rolled her eyes towards her. They hadn't a clue what torture Emma felt by simply being awake, and they selfishly begged her to return everyday. Somewhere in Emma's unconscious state, she'd heard them and came back so they avoided their pain while she slowly deteriorated within her own. Big, stupid, beautiful heart.

"How is she?" Ruby asked when she stopped across from Regina. Though jumpy and wound tightly, the wolf seemed to have calmed considerably from her angry haze.

"Breathing and awake," Regina answered cryptically, not sure what else she could say now that she knew Emma's psychological state. She wasn't fine and wouldn't be for a long time.

"Where's Belle?"

"Henry wanted her close in case he had another nightmare," Ruby shrugged. She probably wouldn't be much help with Emma anyway. She'd only known the woman for a day, so supporting Henry was a much better use of her time.

Ruby sniffed the air, smelled the tears and the fear but decided not to call Regina out on it. Instead, she touched Emma's hair and then pressed her lips to her friend's temple. A single tear slipped down the injured woman's face, but that was the only indication that she was even remotely aware of what happened around her. Regina suspected the sedative was wearing off more quickly than anticipated because Emma had stopped refocusing her eyes some time ago and stared blankly at the wall across from her. She'd said nothing, though, so Regina allowed the silence to stretch.

"You scared the shit out of us," she whispered into blonde hair.

Regina sat up and gently brushed Emma's tear from her cheek. "It's okay, Emma. I know you're hurting. It's okay to hurt," Regina caught Emma's green eyes finally, recognizing the hollowness of cognitive mechanization. Emma was empty, already shutting everything down again in order to protect those she loved. Regina refused to let her.

"It's okay, Emma," she whispered and cupped her cheek. "Let it go, Darling. I'll hold you together. I'm here," her final words broke through Emma's walls, reflecting the words they'd said to each other that night at the station when Emma had broken down and then Regina woke her with a nightmare.

Ruby observed the interaction, knowing for certain now that there was more happening than she understood. Something in Emma crashed. Her chin quivered and then tears cascaded onto her cheeks in rapid torrents. Regina clenched her hand tightly and then stood and slid her other arm beneath Emma's neck, cradling her head gently against her neck.

"I'll go get the doc," Ruby whispered to Regina who nodded without looking.

"I've got you, Emma. I'll never you go." Regina pulled back enough to look into Emma's eyes, their faces only an inch apart.

"I love you," her voice was a breathy, ragged whisper, but Emma heard it. Her eyes jerked suddenly to Regina's and more tears spilled.

"And I will never hurt you, not intentionally," Regina continued, encouraged by Emma's slight reaction. "I'm not perfect, Darling. I'll make mistakes, but I'll never hurt you intentionally. You saved my life. Let me save yours," Regina begged and took a calming breath before her own tears broke free.

"I'm strong enough now, Emma. You gave me your strength. Let me give some of it back. You don't have to ever love me or feel obligated to reciprocate my feelings in any way. It won't change anything, I promise. My heart," Regina pressed Emma's hand to her chest and held it there.

"It's yours, Emma Swan. I offer you my heart freely and honestly and unselfishly, which means I'll put you first, regardless of how you feel about me. You don't have to be alone anymore, Emma, because you are loved. It will be right here," she tapped here finger on the back of Emma's hand, "waiting if you should ever want it." Regina took another calming breath, forcing her own fear of being so vulnerable to the back of her mind. She was terrified, but Emma needed to hear what she kept so closely guarded. She needed a reason to live. She needed to know that she was loved unconditionally. Without Henry and the charming idiots present, that privilege fell on her shoulders.

"Your heart," Regina released Emma's hand, surprised and encouraged when Emma held it against her chest of her own accord.

She was getting through to her. She touched Emma's chest lightly, first with two fingertips and then rested her palm over Emma's heart. The rapid thumping caught Regina off guard, and she faltered for a moment. Emma wasn't really reacting outwardly, but she most certainly reacted with an abundance of emotion on the inside.

"Your beautiful, forgiving heart, Emma Swan. It's broken, but I think I can help you put it back together if you let me," Regina pleaded with the silent woman, eyes flicking back and forth as she searched Emma's.

They stared for a long moment, and then Emma's forehead furrowed slightly. Her eyes slipped shut. More tears fell onto her pale face. She nodded, imperceptibly at first and then twice in quick succession as her chin quivered violently. Regina had gotten through, and finally her own tears leaked out and splashed against the thin gown covering Emma's chest. She dared not wipe them, not when her hands were occupied with such precious things.

Dr. Zambrano cleared her throat from the doorway, green and brown eyes flicked toward her and then immediately settled back into a comfortable gaze with each other. Dr. Zambrano managed a small smile despite remembering Emma's pain. Regina Mills, Evil Queen, Mayor, and bitch royale had succeeded in bypassing Emma's defenses. She might just save The Savior after all.

"Miss Swan, I'm Dr. Zambrano. You can call me Eva. Are you in considerable pain? Do you need another dose of morphine?"

Emma desperately wanted to stay awake, to say something, terrified that Regina would disappear if she closed her eyes for a while, but she hadn't the energy or the willpower to force herself. When she nodded at the doctor's question, her fingertips dug into Regina's chest. Regina reluctantly removed her hand from the soothing thump of Emma's heart and cupped her face.

"Sleep, Darling. I'll be here when you wake," Regina assured her and then nodded towards Eva when Emma's watery eyes slipped shut. Either from the pain in her torn up torso or her words, she didn't know.

The doctor took her cue and quickly administered the medicine before Emma changed her mind. They all held their breaths until Emma drifted off a few seconds later. Ruby crossed her arms over her chest and moved from the spot where she'd been lurking near the door. Regina held her gaze for a moment and then sank back into the chair beside Emma.

"I'll make sure they aren't late with her medicine. Normally, I wouldn't demand such a thing because emergencies do arise, but this is an emergency situation. If she panics again, which is likely to happen, she'll end up back in surgery. I'll have someone bring a cot for you and check back with you early tomorrow morning," Eva said calmly.

"Not too early," Regina implored, and Eva's forehead bunched at the odd request. "Emma hates mornings," Regina explained. Dr. Zambrano nodded once and then slipped out the door.

"What do you want me to tell Henry?" Ruby asked once they were alone. Regina sighed.

"I don't know. He shouldn't see Emma like this, for her sake as well as his," Regina sorted her thoughts aloud.

"Tell him… tell him that Emma said that she loves him, but she needed to get stronger because she wanted to listen to his stories when he visited," Regina made up the lie easily, knowing if Emma were in a better place, she might have said the same exact thing.

"I'll ask her what she wants to do when she wakes up enough to speak," Regina promised the young wolf.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Ruby asked in a small voice more befitting a child than the acting sheriff. She wasn't Emma Swan, and the responsibility of this town quickly tore down her reserve energies. She just wanted to be Ruby again, not Deputy Red, but once she'd heard Regina's soft pleas a few minutes ago, she knew her strength was require for a little while longer. Emma was completely incapacitated, stuck in her own mind, and asking her to make decisions concerning the sheriff's department expected too much from her injured friend.

"Did you touch Dr. Zambrano?" Regina asked, leaving Ruby's question hanging in the air. A response would have been redundant.

"No, why would I?" Ruby's hip cocked to one side, her irritated sass demanding answers. Sometimes Regina was the most infuriatingly cryptic and secretive woman on the planet.

"Good. Don't. She's a soul-seer," Regina explained, eyes still fixed on Emma's face. Ruby gasped.

"I thought they were a myth," Ruby glanced behind her in search of the woman in question. Goosebumps sprang up on her arms, making her skin tingle and tighten.

"Apparently not. To the point, Miss Lucas, it hurts Dr. Zambrano when you touch her. So don't, and inform Miss French of the situation. I need her focused on Emma, not on our pathetic lives," Regina snipped. She cared for the young woman, but right now she simply wished her to go away. Ruby sensed it.

"Okay. Call me if you need anything. I'll drop by tomorrow morning to check on her and bring you some clothes and breakfast." Regina's eyes met hers for that statement. She hadn't even thought about taking care of herself. She pulled her keys out of her jacket and tossed them at Ruby.

"Miss Lucas," Regina called when Ruby turned to leave. "If she is willing, have Miss French keep Henry at home tomorrow. He's bright enough to realize that something very serious is happening and would probably do best distracted in the dust and grime of her library. He's quite taken with her." Ruby grinned at Henry's little crush, nodded, and turned towards the door.

"Ruby?" She stopped and spun on her heel again. "Thank you." The wolf nodded, waiting for a few moments to see if anything else came to Regina's mind, and then left.

It was all Regina could do for this day. Her son was looked after by people who adored him and whom he adored. Emma woke up, and Regina had breeched her nearly impenetrable walls. She hadn't killed or maimed anyone. It had been a good day, - an exhausting and emotionally challenging day, but a good one. When the cot arrived, she pushed it against Emma's bed and readily gave herself to its flimsy mattress and scratchy linens. Her back would surely ache in the morning.

She found Emma's hand in the darkness and gripped it tightly, hoping she didn't slip away in the night and leave Emma untouched.

She awoke to an infernal cacophony of horrid bass and drums attached to lurid and hideous lyrics she'd never heard in her life.

"I'm in love wit a stripper. She poppin' she rollin' she rollin.' She climbin' that pole, and I'm in love wit a stripper." Regina fumbled with her crumpled jacket that she'd tossed beneath the cot last night, trying to locate the source of the sound.

"She trippin' she playin' she playin.' I'm not goin' nowhere, girl, I'm stayin. I'm in love with a stripper." Her fingers slid around her cell phone, and she cracked her angry eyes, squinting against the light. The blinds to Emma's room had been opened, and Regina snarled at the bright light.

_Ruby Lucas, _the screen informed her of the caller's identity, and she punched the button quickly to stop the racket blaring from her speakers.

"Miss Lucas," her gravelly, unused voice greeted Ruby's ears. "I swear to everything unholy if you change my ring tone one more time, I will have wolf pup kabobs for dinner." And, the first death threat of the day.

She laid back on the cot until she realized that Emma's nurse stared at her from across the bed. Her cheeks burned at the mixture of terror and amusement on the young woman's face. She jerked up quickly and turned her back on the woman.

"Yes, yes, you're an Evil Regal and all that. Actually, that's a fantastic nickname. We should start a support group for everyone in Storybrooke who doesn't want you dead and name them that. You can be Mama Regal!" Ruby quipped, pleased with her witty idea.

"Miss Lucas!" Regina barked and massaged her temple with two fingertips of her free hand. She needed nearly as much coffee to handle Ruby as she did to sufficiently entertain Henry's early morning chittering.

She imagined Ruby shaking her head as she refocused her thoughts. "Look, we have a… It's not bad, nothing to get worked up about. We're not even sure how it happened. Look, just come down to the emergency room. Henry's fine, but he got burned. He's okay…" Regina pulled the phone from her ear, not bothering to listen to anything beyond Henry being in the emergency room. Emma had just gotten her shot of morphine, so she'd be unconscious for a few hours more.

She slid into her heels and then poofed from her cot. The nurse shook her head with a small smile and swayied her hips as the beat and rhythm repeated over in her head. Seeing the not-so-evil queen wake to such a song had created a gleeful mood that would last all day.

Regina hadn't a clue where Henry was, so she simply appeared at the front doors and then stomped towards the triage rooms, ignoring the fear or shock that surrounded her from the unsuspecting citizens of Storybrooke. A nurse snagged her arm and pointed at a room. Having been the one who completed Henry's initial examination, she knew it would only be a matter of time before Regina appeared and had waited patiently for the rigid woman.

"What the hell happened?" Regina demanded as she entered the room. Ruby, Belle and Henry looked up at her sharp voice. The women were on either side of her son. Belle's hand dotingly rubbed Henry's back while Ruby's were shoved into her black slacks.

"We don't know," Belle answered.

"It happened in my dream, Mom, the one about the room of fire and the woman. She talked to me last night. She said her name was Aurora and that she was with Grams and Gramps in the Enchanted Forest," Henry explained hurriedly. Regina bristled to hear her son call Snow and her prince by their familial titles but pushed it aside for later consideration.

Ruby side-stepped Regina as she took up residence beside her son and retreated to the other side of the bed. She slipped her arms around Belle's waist from behind and rested her head atop Belle's hair. Her best friend was alive and communicating with them somehow, and it made her quiet with excitement and also fear that she may never return.

"They're alive, then," Regina breathed in relief. She hadn't thought she cared as much as she did, but Emma deserved a chance to know her parents, no matter what they'd done to her in the past.

"Aurora said they are looking for a way to open a portal. Gramps and Captain Hook climbed up a beanstalk to get an enchanted compass. They're up there now. Hook was working with Cora, but he switched sides when she left him to the ogres," Henry gushed excitedly, not fully understanding the impact of his words.

"Cora?" Regina's heart pounded wildly in her chest. Her mother wasn't dead, and she intended to come for her. She knew it without Henry asking Aurora.

"Ruby?" Regina's wide eyes caught hers. Her arms tightened around Belle unconsciously. "I need to… Can you?" Ruby nodded, miraculously understand Regina's request.

"Henry," Regina held his face in her hands. "Ruby and I are going to go talk to Mr. Gold. Promise me that you will stay with Belle?" He nodded, and she kissed his forehead.

"Can we go see Emma when we're finished here?" He asked with big sad eyes. He and Ruby must be teaching each other their tricks. Emma had just been pumped full of stout pain medicine meant to keep her semi-conscious, so Regina conceded to his request.

"Of course, Sweetheart. Just be careful. You may only touch her hands, okay? She's hurt very badly." Regina instructed carefully, and he nodded, absorbing every detail, and was contented to followed every command if it meant he'd see his other mother. Regina flicked her eyes to Belle's, ensuring that the woman understood as well.

"I love you, Henry." She kissed his forehead again and then left the room before her resolve weakened. If it kept Cora in the Enchanted Forest, she intended to make a deal with the devil once more.

Ruby pressed a kiss to the side of Belle's head, ruffled Henry's hair, and followed Regina with her hands shoved into her pockets. She might have grinned at the wave of terror that followed Regina through the waiting room, but the situation called for her full attention. She hadn't the luxury of getting sidetracked. They needed her: Belle, Henry, Regina, Emma, Granny, the whole damn town who incessantly called upon her for every tiny thing that could be resolved if they used common sense. If that was how Emma felt, Ruby wasn't surprised she cracked under the pressure. Her life, though painful and dark at times, hadn't been nearly as difficult as Emma's, and she'd forgotten that the savior was only human. She wasn't invincible or larger than life. She was just a woman doing what she could to get by and protect those she cared about.

Every single person in this town had failed Emma, everyone except Regina. Sure, the former mayor had acted nastily towards her at first, but even then she'd seen the cracks in Emma's walls and used them to her advantage. She'd never seen her as anything but a flawed woman. Ruby walked behind Regina and hung her head in shame, silently berating herself for becoming entranced in Henry's fantasy world of dark and light, good and evil.

They were all just flawed people doing the best they could with the hand life dealt them.


	14. Our Dark Hearts

Hello Dear Doves! This chapter was extremely difficult so please leave me some love.

Warning: graphic sex and rape

Songs: The Story by Sara Ramirez, Think I'm Sick by Icon for Hire, Mz. Hyde by Halestorm

* * *

When the unlikely friends arrived at the pawn shop, Ruby expected Regina to pause, take a deep breath at least, but she exited the cruiser before she killed the engine and stomped into Gold's business, Queen and Mayor flaring in her attitude.

"Ah, and what do I owe this pleasure?" Gold snarked, clearly not happy to see either of them.

"I have a proposition, Imp," Regina said coolly, spread her arms wide, and leaned against his glass counter. Her icy tone scared Ruby a little. Regina wasn't here to mess around. The deeper her voice stretched, the raspier it became, and with every rumble, the static crackle of tension between the two dark practitioners expanded.

"Is that right?" He was intrigued.

"Yes," Regina hissed. "The first deal will be free in exchange for information. You will help my son, and I will share a secret about the Enchanted Forest. We will negotiate terms of the second. Do you accept?" Her dark eyes never flinched, forcing him to maintain eye contact or act in a submissive manner. The Evil Queen had found her stride if not her heart for magic.

"Very well, what can I help young Master Mills with this lovely morning," he waved his hand through the air, and Ruby flinched.

"He's been having nightmares about a black room filled with flames. This morning he awoke with a physical burn on his hand and claimed to have spoken with another who currently resides in the Enchanted Forest. Can you help him?"

Damn, she was good, Ruby thought.

"Was it Mary Margaret?" Rumpel asked, excitement growing in his eyes.

"Can you help him?" Regina repeated, voice giving no ground or indication he'd guess correctly or not.

"The information is vital to that answer, Regina. Was it Mary Margaret or another who had been subjected to a sleeping curse?" He rephrased the question.

"Yes," Regina volleyed, a glint in her eye. She had reservations about making a deal, but she'd forgotten how exhilarating it could be to play at words, knowing one false start might lead to a path of no return with the Dark One waiting at the end.

"I can help him," Gold moved through his shop and collected things. He mixed a few liquids together inside a heart-shaped necklace and gave it a shake. He raised his eyebrows and dangled the necklace in front of Regina with one finger. "Tell the boy to wear this when he sleeps. It will not stop the nightmare, but it will give him control of it. You really don't know much about your favorite curse, do you?"

"I never intended my victims to wake up," Regina snarled. Ruby jerked, her hand instinctively gripping Emma's pistol.

"The information," he leaned forward, entering Regina's personal space.

Ruby shivered. How had Belle fallen for this man? He was creepy and clearly evil and conniving and manipulative. Her hand gripped the butt of Emma's pistol before she realized that a low growl had risen in her throat. Her wolf rage picked a terrible time to introduce itself. Gold tilted his head in her direction with an innocent look upon his face and shook the necklace.

"Cora is searching for a way to this realm," Regina said as she snagged the chain from his fingers and looped it over her head. She smirked at his slightly perturbed expression when she lifted her shirt and dropped it inside to rest between her breasts. He may not have feared her anymore, but he certainly knew his place when in the presence of her mother.

He cleared his throat. "And the second, Dearie?" She resumed her predatory leaning against the counter.

"Two-part deal. Help the idiots get back to this realm without bringing her plight. If she manages to best them, which let's face facts, that is the likely outcome, you will align yourself against her upon her arrival and help rid this land of her influence. Maim, torture, death, binding her powers permanently. The method is yours really. I only care about the result." Regina came prepared to pay big for this one. The price of asking the Dark One to align himself against Cora might be a price too high for her to pay.

"Oh, is that all, Dearie? It's going to cost you." She nodded. "Killing the savior too much to ask?" She clenched her jaws, the only indication he'd gotten under her skin.

"Allow Henry to become my student?"

"No."

"Become my student again?"

"No." She took a deep breath as slowly as she could. He rattled her cage for the hell of it, but that fact hadn't stopped the fear that slipped up her spine at the thought of either of those things ever happening.

"Give Belle back to me," he said darkly, gaze flicking to Ruby who jerked and gritted her teeth but miraculously managed to hold her tongue.

"Not my decision to make. What else do you want?" Regina crossed her arms, clearly agitated but controlling it very well.

"How about a romp in the hay for old times' sake?" A chill ran up her spine when memories of his pugnacious and brutal touch flashed through her mind. She contained her shiver but not the gooseflesh that spread over her bare arms and chest. She'd forgotten her damn blazer in Emma's hospital room. His eyes glinted, and she knew that she'd been ensnared.

"No," she answered, knowing that he was about to refuse her offer and make her choose one of her other options.

"Then you have nothing I want, Dearie," he mimicked her earlier pose of leaning on the counter.

"You're sick," Ruby seethed behind Regina. Anyone else might have cowered in fear at the young wolf's obvious anger and proclivity towards violence when the people she loved were in peril, but not Rumpelstiltskin.

"Aren't we all, Dearie. Now, don't let your tail get caught on the way out of my shop" he snipped and then disappeared to the back room.

Regina held her head high until they were in the cruiser and Ruby pulled away from the curb. Certain he could no longer see her, it dropped against her chest as she took a steadying breath.

"Regi…" Ruby started, unsure if she wanted to comfort Regina or ask her about her previous relationship with Rumpelstiltskin. What in the hell did that guy have? She asked herself in disgust.

"Don't. Say. A word," Regina threatened, and Ruby clamped her teeth together.

The silence wasn't their usual companionable existing in harmony. This silence was harsh and palpable. Clearly, Regina hadn't expected Gold to exploit her sexually in the deal, and Ruby's anger had grown with each passing second in the presence of the man who had injured Belle beyond repair by his false promises and pretty words filled with technicalities and loopholes. At least The Evil Queen was straight forward in her words. She pretty much did whatever she promised. It was a more honest kind of evil, Ruby thought as she squeezed the wheel tightly.

Her teeth clenched together painfully by the time they pulled into a parking spot at the hospital, her anger growing with every second. She wanted to yell at Regina, make her divulge more information, but she clutched the steering wheel. The metal moved beneath the force, molding to the shape of her hand. Regina slammed the door and stalked towards the hospital, nearly reaching the doors before Ruby chased her down.

"Regina!" She challenged, her anger uncontrollable. She really needed to find her cloak. It didn't just keep her from changing under the full moon, it calmed her rage.

Regina turned slowly and fixed her with cold eyes. She recognized the anger that gripped Ruby's heart in the young wolf's glowing eyes. If she needed an outlet, then so be it. She needn't worry about abandonment from Regina, not after she'd shown such loyalty and devotion. Of all her options, picking a fight with Regina was safest and yielded the least amount of damage at the end.

"You're just going to let him get away with that. Cowing you into submission like a coward. He's the coward! He abused you. He abused Belle. And you still give him all the power! He basically threatened your son and Emma's life and practically asked permission to rape you again. You just let him!" Ruby seethed, fist clenching and releasing as she stalked across the parking lot.

A group of people gathered at the glass doors of the hospital when they heard Ruby's yelling and watched the interaction. Regina never bothered putting up her hands as Ruby's fist flew towards her mouth. She touched her thumb to her split lip, sneered up at the wolf, and then delivered one of her own. Ruby growled and her eyes flashed yellow when the iron tang of blood exploded in her mouth.

She charged Regina, grappling for a moment before body slamming her into the ground. Air whooshed painfully out of Regina's lungs and her head spun for a moment. She regained her wits just as Ruby straddled her hips, eyes full out glowing now instead of flickering between brown and yellow. She jabbed the heel of her hand into Ruby's nose before she restrained her hands.

The wolf's head snapped back, and Regina flipped their positions, knowing she'd never have the strength to hold down a pissed off werewolf without her magic. She accepted the ass whoopin' that Ruby was about to throw down on her. It wasn't the girl's fault. Her wolf was suppressed for 28 years, and she'd barely obtained control before then, just enough to curb her changes.

She punched Ruby again from atop her waist. The wolf screamed into the pain as it fueled her anger, grabbed Regina's hips and tossed her across the parking lot. Regina covered her head while she was in the air and relaxed as much as possible, suspecting her landing was going to hurt like hell. It did. Her right elbow and knee skidded across the pavement before she rolled bodily into the bumper of a car.

"Hey!" A voice called. Regina located it and recognized the face of the pretty nurse who had given Emma her shot earlier. A few other brave souls gathered around her, ready to intervene if given the order.

"Stay back!" Regina ordered them, letting her magic float into them. It pushed them back a few steps but caused no harm, but the fear effect of her reign of terror did its job. They all froze and remained safely near the doors.

The momentary distraction cost Regina the few precious seconds she'd had to find her feet. Glowing yellow eyes were only an inch from hers as a strong, thin hand pulled her up by her throat and slammed her onto the hood of the car. Regina grabbed Ruby's thumb and twisted as hard as she could, enough to catch a breath but not enough to break the wolf's vice.

"Ruby," she choked out as real fear seized her heart. She desperately wanted to avoid using magic on the tortured woman she'd grown so fond of, but she would if it meant life or death. Brown flickered and then spread in Ruby's wide eyes.

"Oh God, Regina," her soulful eyes filled with tears and then were gone from her vision. She heard the quiet sobbing but collected her strength before moving from the vehicle. She hurt everywhere and hoped like hell she never had to do that again, but Ruby wouldn't have calmed lest she dispelled enough of the wolf to regain control. Better her than Belle or Henry or some unsuspecting nurse or doctor.

Her head throbbed when she pushed herself upright and she pressed her the heels of her hands into her temples. Ruby knelt on the ground, back towards her, shoulders quaking with anguished cries. Regina's heart clenched at the sight, and she set her weight on her feet gently. Her right knee throbbed and protested, and she ordered it to shut up. She'd endured worst, she told it and then hobbled to the grieving girl.

"Ruby," Regina whispered as she knelt behind the quivering wolf.

"It was the wolf, Regina! I can't control it! Stay away from me. I'm dangerous. It was the wolf," her voice weakened with each word until it was nothing but a whimper. The crowd stared at the girl, some with fear and others with pity at the confession.

"I know," Regina cooed gently and rested her hands upon Ruby's shaking shoulders.

She squawked in surprise when Ruby flung herself bodily into Regina's arms and buried her face in her chest. Acclimating to their new position, Regina reverently placed her hand on the back of Ruby's head, holding the girl around the shoulders with the other.

"I know it was the wolf, Ruby. We'll find your cloak or I'll find another way to help you control it," she vowed and soothed her hand over Ruby's tangled mane.

"It was the wolf," Ruby sobbed, her voice muffled and hollow in Regina's chest.

"I know," Regina repeated and continued her gentle stroking on Ruby's hair. She eyed the crowd wearily, but no one moved towards them. Some pointed and whispered, looking at Regina with eyes that held something other than fear and hatred. Evil Regals, indeed, she thought sardonically.

Ruby's tears slowly dried, but she remained cradled in the safety of her victim's arms. Regina understood her darkness in a way no one else had. How could they when they'd never experienced it? If she were honest with herself, she feared seeing the damage she'd caused on the other woman's body.

Regina felt her tense as if she were going to move, and she turn her head to the side and ducked down to catch Ruby's eyes. They were wide and clear, and a beautiful chocolate brown. She'd beaten the wolf back for now.

"Hi," she whispered with a pained smile as the expression stretched her split lip. "Feel better?" Ruby nodded against her chest but said nothing, eyes flying over Regina's face.

"I'm fine, Ruby. If you'd seriously injured me, I'd have stopped you with magic," the older woman assured her horrified charge.

"Your face," she protested, hand reaching for but not quite touching Regina's busted lip.

"Hey, yours looks like this, too. I'm not a complete invalid without my magic. I've got moves," Regina quipped, and Ruby giggled at the very modern phrase falling from the very old-fashioned and sophisticated woman.

"What do you say we go get cleaned up in the emergency room before we go see Belle and Henry?" Ruby nodded again and reluctantly pushed herself out of Regina's warm arms.

Regina nearly had a heart attack at the sound she heard when Ruby assisted her to her feet. The crowd … clapped? Were they glad that Ruby knocked the hell out of her? Her face dropped sadly, heart clenching. Would they never love her? She steeled her face and then leaned on Ruby who stared at the crowd with an odd expression.

"I think they're clapping for you," she said absently, disbelieving what her eyes and ears told her was reality. Regina jerked and glanced over the crowd again.

"Well done, Madame Mayor!" The pretty nurse called and then cheered.

"Why?" Regina said to no one. Dr. Zambrano stood alone at the edge of the crowd, arms crossed, searching expression in her eyes. She nodded once and then disappeared through the crowd. Ruby glanced down at her.

"I have no idea," she answered and then pulled her forward.

Her knee buckled and then gave out, and she allowed the wolf to practically drag her towards the hospital doors. Her pants were torn, her shirt ripped and covered in both her and Red's blood. Ruby's deputy uniform didn't look much better. By the time they reached the edge of the crowd, the pain shooting from her knee overwhelmed her.

"Move!" A stern voice ordered, and Regina stopped and watched the crowd part, revealing Eva rolling a gurney towards them.

Ruby wrapped her arms around her back and lifted her onto the bed. She squeaked indignantly and slapped the deputy's hand from her in a huff. Ruby's heart lightened to see a sliver of a hissy fit, a glimpse of the strong and bitchy Regina she knew and loved. Loved?

"I'm not helpless, Miss Lucas," she snipped, irritated at being coddled, no matter how much better her knee felt now relieved of her weight. Ruby shrugged awkwardly and took up residence on the side opposite the doctor.

"That you are not, Ms. Mills," Eva confirmed. "Standing up to a wolf's rage the day before the full moon without using magic. It's quite impressive," she finished without flourish and pushed the rolling bed through the automatic doors. Wolf's time began tonight, crap, she'd forgotten.

That's the reason they'd all clapped for her. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she blinked them away rapidly. She'd done something right, finally. She closed her eyes as she adjusted to the new emotions pulling through her. She needed to save Ruby from herself and hadn't a clue how, but she'd made progress with the people of Storybrooke today. She thought for the first time that she might actually pull through this mess without being executed.

Eva tossed her a flimsy gown after parking the gurney and then left the room. It was understood that she meant for her to change, but Regina curled her lip at the insulting fabric and then pulled her shirt off. Ruby gasped at the blue splotches on both sides of Regina's rib cage in the shape of her hands. She said nothing to the girl and wiggled out of her pants and heels and then laid back in nothing but her bra and panties.

"Never pegged you as vanilla, but I certainly didn't expect you to be comfortable with expose either," Ruby gaped at her with uncomfortable eyes.

"Miss Lucas, I was dressed by another woman everyday, multiple times a day until I was 35, which is when I cast the curse and discovered clothing that didn't require a torture rack to get me into and a chainsaw to get me out of. That's a lot of eyes that have seen this body. Modesty is beneath me," Regina sniffed.

"Glad to hear that; otherwise my premature entrance might have been awkward," Dr. Zambrano stated in her calm, even voice. The women never excited herself, Regina noted silently.

"Hey, Doc," Ruby greeted as she stepped out of the woman's way. "I'm going to run and fetch you some clothes," Ruby started.

"Good Mutt," Regina muttered. Ruby glared, licked her lips, continued.

"And change my shirt and get cleaned up before I go get Henry and Belle."

"You also promised me breakfast," Regina reminded her and then winced when Eva pressed her knee. "I'm ravished after our tussle," she winked suggestively at the young woman and smirked when Ruby's mouth fell open. She realized that Regina was distracting herself from her pain, but the comment flustered her anyway.

"Uhh, yeah," Ruby scratched the back of her neck. "I need to talk to Granny anyway. Omelet with mushrooms and onions, right?"

"You're always so sweet after you leave me aching, Darling," Regina batted her eyes, and red splotches immediately broke out on Ruby's neck and face. Her bloody mouth worked up and down a few times and then she tucked tail and scurried from the room.

Regina chuckled. Eva managed a small smile even though her hands were fully pressed against her skin. Regina's heart sang with the realization, but she said nothing.

"You ready?" The doctor asked and then unlocked a drawer full of syringes. She flicked one a few times and then looked expectantly at Regina's arm.

"For?" Regina asked hesitantly and then presented her arm to the other woman.

"This is a mild pain killer and muscle relaxant. Let me know when you start feeling dizzy," Dr. Zambrano explained as she timed the rate of injection on her wrist watch.

"For?" She repeated.

"Well, I assume you'd like your dislocated knee popped back into it's place before you lose feeling in your lower leg. I didn't want to say anything in front of her. She feels bad enough. I don't need to touch her to see that," her calm voice breezed through her mind, parting the haze that quickly gripped her senses.

"Feel it yet? It shouldn't take but a moment."

"Ye… Ow!" Regina jerked upright and glared at the doctor and then quickly sank back to the hard mattress when the room spun out of control.

"Sorry, it's easier if you're distracted. Keep still. That stuff is potent if you aren't used to it," she shrugged and then banged around in the cabinets. Regina closed her eyes and followed the sound of her voice.

"It wears off quickly, too, so you'll be up in no time. I'd ask you to use crutches for at least a week, but I doubt I'd get you to agree. It wasn't terrible, so you should heal okay with just a brace as long as you wear it at all times and take it easy." She talked and put the brace in place. The pressure set Regina's leg aching again.

"Don't worry. As soon as Ruby returns, you may go back to Emma's room," her voice was directly over her face now, and she opened her eyes. "You have a lot of scars, Regina."

"Huh?" the former royal fought for control of her mind.

"On your body, I mean. I'm certain Miss Lucas was too flustered and embarrassed to look at you too closely," she dabbed at Regina's face with a gauze pad, but Regina felt nothing through the haze. When would it wear off again? Had the doctor said exactly? And then Eva disappeared, but Regina felt pressure on her elbow.

"You took a hell of a beating out there," Eva changed the subject quickly. "I'm glad you got through to her in time. If you don't want your kid to know, I'd keep him away from you for a couple days. Your neck is bruised pretty badly. Are you having any difficulty breathing?"

"No," Regina answered, her mind gaining clarity by the second. With it came the pain it had dulled.

"Do you want some Vicodin? Of course you don't," she answered the question herself. "An addict is an addict is an addict," she muttered and then ripped her gloves off.

"You… unnerve me, Doctor," Regina admitted as she rolled onto her uninjured elbow to observe the odd physician. Eva stalled for a moment and simply met her eyes.

"I won't for long," she admitted softly and then busied herself with cleaning the room. Normally, a nurse cleaned up afterwards, but Regina figured that even after her display of bravery and self-control, she still made most people uneasy.

"As soon as I am confident that Miss Swan will make a full recovery, mentally and physically, I intend to cross the boundary line. I'm happy just being Dr. Eva Zambrano. My memories of our land is a small price to pay if it means I can live a normal life without my gift… my curse," the tortured woman explained lightly, clearly at peace with her decision.

"I'm trying valiantly to keep my other self at bay, so that my staff may continue to view me in the same light, so I'd appreciate you keeping that secret to yourself. No one else needs to know that I've intentionally erased an entire life from existence." Dr. Zambrano's eyes tightened with worry.

"Of course," Regina said simply, and then the woman disappeared silently as she normally did. She stared at the empty space for a moment and then lay back against the bed, anxious to return to Emma.

Ruby returned an indeterminate amount of time later in a fresh deputy shirt. The blood had been cleaned from her face, which now sported a reddened nose that had been broken and a black mark at the corner of her mouth. Black slacks and shirt were tucked beneath her elbow, a foam food contained her in one hand and Regina's solitary pair of flat black boots in the other. Regina stared at them disdainfully but knew that her heels were impossible until her knee heeled.

"I'll take your food upstairs," Ruby babbled, eyes averted from Regina's practically naked body as she sat the boots and clothes on the bed between her feet. She turned to go and then stopped. "Oh, here," she pulled socks from her back pocket and tossed them on the bed. "Give me like ten minutes to get Henry and Belle moving." She said over her shoulder and then was gone.

Regina dressed slowly, her body feeling all of the little muscle aches she knew would follow being tossed around like a rag doll. She breathed through it, allowing her anger to push some of it into a box in her mind that she locked away so she could function semi-normally. Her knee screamed in protest when she set her weight on it and then settled after a moment. It wasn't that bad, she told herself and hobbled towards the elevator, grateful that Ruby had had the presence of mind to bring her a turtleneck.

The room was vacant all but a still slumbering Emma and a foam box on her cot when she arrived a few minutes later. She sat on the cot and ate the lukewarm food without tasting it, and then it was gone. She studied Emma's calm face for a moment, wondering if the other woman dreamed. If she did, they hadn't haunted her this day. She dropped her hands to her lap and fidgeted with them. She wanted to hug her son. Even if he never knew, he warmed her soul every time he wrapped his scrawny arms around her waist.

She settled for draping her arm over Emma's shins and leaning her head against her thigh. It was comfortable enough. Her eyes slipped shut, taking comfort in the steady beep on the heart monitor. Emma had come back for them. She hadn't left them because she promised that she wouldn't, Regina believed that with all of her heart.

Clumsy fingers brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, urging her eyes open. Beautiful glazed green stared down at her, and she smiled.

"Hello Miss Swan," she breathed. Emma looked towards the open blinds and squinted. "Do you want me to close them?" Regina found her feet immediately, ignoring all of her pain. It mattered nothing to her if Emma was awake and interacting.

Surrounded in darkness once more, Regina reclaimed her seat on the cot and hesitantly placed her hand on Emma's knee. It was a safe spot, she justified, a friendly touch. Emma's leg tensed and then relaxed beneath her warmth, and Regina assumed it was her approval.

"Are you in pain? Do you need more medicine?" Emma shook her head and closed her eyes. Regina almost pressed the button that summoned her nurse, thwarted when Emma's hand touched hers. Emma shook her head again despite the fact that she obviously ached, but she wanted to be awake more than she desired relief from her physical ailments.

"Tell me," Emma whispered quietly and touched her face again. A spontaneous sob of joy pulled from Regina's chest. It had been gruff from lack of use and thick from the pain medicine, but she'd heard Emma's voice again.

"Tell you what, Darling?" Regina searched her face with wide, glimmering eyes.

"Your story," Emma answered with great effort and then settled against the pillow, done speaking for the moment.

"What would you like to hear?" Regina waited for a moment, hoping Emma might have changed her mind. Emma closed her eyes but gripped her hand tightly.

"There aren't many happy ones. Are you certain?" Regina asked. Emma nodded.

"Rumpel," Emma croaked, and Regina's heart flipped again. She hadn't realized until Emma spoke again just how much she'd missed her voice, pined to hear it even one more time.

"You want to hear about Rumpelstiltskin. Darling, you already know how we met." Emma nodded. "You want to know how he became my teacher?" Emma shook her head, brow furrowing in frustration.

"Broke you," Emma croaked and the coughed.

"Shh. Eva said that your throat may be sore for a while. Do you want me to get you some ice chips?" Emma nodded, and Regina pressed the button to call the nurse.

"How can I help, Miss Swan?" A voice immediately filtered through the room.

"Could you bring some ice chips, please?" Regina asked as politely as possible.

"Sure. Be just a couple of minutes," the voice answered and the room fell silent for a moment. Emma stared down at Regina.

"You wish me to tell you how Rumpelstilskin broke me?" Emma nodded and then winced. "Emma, I will tell you, I promise, but you are in so much pain right now. Please let them give you something," Regina practically begged, but Emma adamantly shook her head.

"What if I had them call your doctor and have your dosage lowered? Just enough to take the edge off? Please Emma?" Emma thought for a moment and then conceded with a sigh and frustrated nod, and Regina took a deep, relieved breath.

Regina picked at the blanket covering Emma's thigh as they waited for the nurse. Emma breathed in short, pained gasps by the time she arrived. She smiled towards the former queen when she handed Regina the cup and then moved to Emma's IV. It was the young nurse who had stared at her earlier this morning when Ruby called and cheered for her outside.

"Please, call Dr. Zambrano before you medicate Miss Swan. She's refusing treatment unless her dosage is lowered so that she may stay conscious more easily," Regina halted the nurse's movement with her sharp words, but the pretty girl just smiled and continued fiddling with the tube and syringe.

"She already lowered it. She came up here after you went into the E.R. You might be a little drowsy, Ms. Swan, but it won't knock you out like before, 'kay?" She spoke gently to Emma, touched her shoulder and then glanced at Regina.

"If either of you need anything, please don't hesitate," the young nurse blushed at the extended eye contact and then hurried towards the door.

"Nurse?" Regina stopped her. "What's your name?" Regina swore she'd met the girl before today but hadn't realized it in her groggy haze.

"Here they call me Lauren Danes, but I was known as Trina in our land. I worked in your stables for three years before the curse, Majesty." That's why she'd squirmed with the eye contact.

"I'm only Regina here," the girl's eyes brightened with the permission to call her by first name, and Regina smiled.

"Of course, Maj… Regina," her ears burned with the embarrassment of her slip. "Do you need anything else?"

"Do you ever make lunch or coffee runs to Granny's?" Regina asked suddenly, and Lauren nodded in confusion.

"Everyday."

"Wonderful. Tell the staff on this floor that it's on me today for taking such wonderful care of Emma. Come see us before you leave, and I'll let Granny know that I will be covering your bill. All I ask in return is that you bring me the largest coffee Granny can find," Regina begged the girl with her eyes to agree to her terms and ply her with much needed caffeine.

"If you're sure," the girl agreed uncertainly.

"I am. Thank you, Lauren," Regina nodded and then turned her back in dismissal. She added normal people manners to the list of things she must work and dug a plastic spoon into the cup of ice chips.

"Emma?" Regina coaxed her eyes open and then grinned at the sleepy haze swimming in the green pools.

She opened her mouth lazily and accepted the ice chips gratefully, immediately swallowing in relief. Regina handed her the cup but retrieved it when Emma's hand shook violently. She may have acted like her Emma, but her muscles were weak with lack of use and heavy medication. At the crushed expression on Emma's face, Regina cupped her cheek and smiled softly.

"It's okay. My hands work fine, and I'm not going anywhere," Regina assured her that the simple act of feeding her ice chips wasn't a burden. "Let me take care of you. I won't tell anyone," Regina winked, and Emma's eyes lightened.

"Do you still want to hear that story?" Regina asked guardedly, not really wanting to talk about Rumpelstiltskin but willing to do anything to keep Emma happy and entertained while she remained awake.

Emma nodded and opened her mouth. Regina obliged her with another spoonful of ice chips.

"Very well," she cleared her throat, deciding where to begin when the history between them was so thick.

"He manipulated me into believing that dark magic was my only salvation," she thought of Frankenstein's intentional failure at reviving Daniel. It was a story for a different day.

"The first person I killed was the apprentice he intended to replace me. I ripped out her heart in the middle of her lesson and crushed it instantly. I was so filled with rage that I felt nothing at the time but a rush of power. Later that night, however, my heart filled with remorse. He knew it would, but like everything, he planned ten steps ahead. He appeared in my chambers, knowing the king rarely visited anymore. Looking back, he must have charmed the room with a soundproofing spell. Otherwise, the guards would surely have discovered us.

_Regina stared at herself in the mirror. She hadn't wanted to kill that girl, but her mentor was right. She only had anger, a soothing rage that tore through her veins and exploded behind her eyes. Her black hair fell into her eyes, and she pushed it back as she forced her gaze to the looking glass. She'd always thought herself pretty, and tonight was no exception, but she felt nothing of that youthful innocence and hope she harbored until last night when Dr. Frankenstein failed her. _

_She hated herself for having killed that other girl, but she needed her teacher to keep her. At least he gave her someone to talk to. She needn't be alone as long as she remained obedient. Still, she thought, the price of his love was too high. She refused to take another heart, not when it tore a small piece of her own away with thoughts of Daniel's final moments. His pain had been palpable. It might have been the worst possible way to die, and she'd done that to another for Rumpel. It was too much of a burden. Perhaps another in the world was destined to love her._

"_Contemplating life, Dearie?" Rumpel's nasally voice called from the window._

_She whipped around in fear. Had he heard her thoughts? He was summoned simply by saying his name, extending that to her thoughts wasn't much of a stretch. He giggled maniacally and then crossed to her. She swallowed roughly, wondering what he possibly wanted at this hour. He'd refrained from appearing in her bedchamber since that night she'd first summoned him. He made her uneasy then, but now, knowing what he was capable of, slight panic gripped her heart._

"_Easy, Dearie," he steadied her with a hand on her cheek. "I've not come to harm ya," he assured in his whimsical manner and then smoothed hair with his scaly hand. _

_The touch was gentle, compassionate, and she leaned into it instinctively. It'd been so long since someone had touched her in kindness that she'd nearly forgotten what it felt like. She sighed as her eyes slipped shut, overcome with the need to be comforted, forgiven, and then lips were upon hers._

_Her eyes flew open, but there was a softness in his eyes she'd never seen before. Perhaps he'd pushed her so hard to keep her with him. He cared, she was sure of it. He cupped her face in both hands and pulled her from the chair slowly, and she allowed it, wanting to feel the gentle touch of another, no matter who it came from._

"_Rumpel?" She stared up into his dark eyes and then accepted his lips once more. _

_In one swift flick of his wrist, her nightgown lay at her feet, and she stood before him naked. She shivered in the cool night air, nipples hardening instantly. She wanted him to touch her, and he never hesitated. Clumsy hands gripped his shoulders and then hesitated a moment before covering the bulge pressing against her belly, separated only by the fabric of his pants. _

_He smiled at her shy gestures and bumbling attempts to please him and then unbuttoned his pants, sliding them far enough to release his hardening shaft. She gasped when the reality of what she was about to do slammed into her, made her dizzy with desire for her teacher of magic, and now teacher of love. He guided her hands to him again. His head fell back slightly when she followed his silent commands. _

_She nearly lost her grip when one of his hands molded around her breast and the other slid between her already slick folds, caressing but not entering. He grinned wickedly to feel her desire coat his fingers. _

_He allowed her a few minutes to pump him awkwardly, encouraging her with grunts and hums. He dropped his lips to her neck, distracting her from her task with tiny nips and scrapes of his teeth. All of her intentions melted away when two of his roughed fingers slid inside her. She might have fallen over if he hadn't held her up with an arm around her back. This felt differently than when the king had entered her. It was gentle and intimate and ignited every nerve ending with that which she so desperately sought, love and compassion. _

_She leaned into her dressing table and spread her legs further, hips rocking shamelessly as his fingers caused an explosion inside of her, a physical release that she'd never dreamed of or heard mentioned by mouth or book. He brought her down slowly and then brushed her hair back from her face._

"_Turn around," he ordered softly. Confused but trusting, she complied, bracing her shaking hands against the table in front of her looking glass. _

_He caught her eyes in the mirror as he positioned himself at the entrance of her slick and throbbing slit. She moaned when he rubbed against her, spreading her wetness. He entered her slowly, only halfway inside when she shoved against him. She moaned loudly at the sensations bursting inside of her. Her spontaneous show of desire had hurt, but she adjusted quickly and then moved again. He allowed her to roll her hips against his as she wished, forcing himself to ignore the sensuality of her shameless and wanton cries of passion and pleasure. _

_He busied his hands on her breasts for a moment and then slid one down her toned stomach and cupped her wiry mound. She released a squeak at the added pleasure and paused for a moment, adjusting once more to the new sensations. _

_And then her eyes were wide and searching his in the mirror. His hand buried itself painfully in her chest, gripping her heart. He intended to take her heart. He waited for the realization to flash in her eyes before he jerked the organ out of her chest and held it above her shoulder for her to behold the sight in the mirror. She gasped and fell onto her elbows, clutching at her chest desperately for what she'd lost, what he'd taken from her._

_He moved inside her, adjusting to her new position. Scaly fingers slid around her neck and pulled her upright. She tried to cry out, telling him to stop with her mind, but her voice no longer belonged to her. She continued to move against him, but it wasn't her choice. She screamed inside her mind all of the things she wished to say aloud, but her mouth refused her commands. Her body belonged to him. _

"_Don't ever try to manipulate me again, Dearie, or this is how you will spend the rest of your days," he seethed in her ear, emphasizing his words with a painful thrust of his hips._

_She fell forward again when he released her throat and screamed silently, tears falling from her eyes. His gentleness disappeared as he used her, took her brutally, painfully. He squeezed her heart in one hand, threatening to crush it every time she closed her eyes in attempt to escape to a happier place, and used her long hair as leverage with the other. He wanted her to watch him in the mirror, and she had no choice. _

_He hurt. His ruthless pounding tore at her far worse than Leopold when he'd taken her the first time, and he lasted far longer, prolonging her torture and his pleasure as long as he could. Her slickness dried up before he squirted inside of her, leaving only pain in every possible way. He grunted and then slumped over her back as he finished, and she filled her lungs with a relieved breath. She'd survived._

_He pulled away from her, and she watched him clean himself with her nightgown in the glass. He met hers eyes once with a sinister glee and then dropped her heart to the stone floor of her chamber. _

"_Lessons tomorrow. Don't be late," he pointed at her with a grand gesture, his fingers splayed in different directions, a flourish she'd seen him use many times, as if everything were normal and he hadn't just violated her on the deepest level possible._

"_I hope our lesson tonight rids you of those fantastical notions of love you foolishly cling to," he fixed her with a look and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. _

_She slumped to the floor, a strangled sob escaping her throat as her actions finally became her own again. The cool tile soothed her heated skin, and she pressed her face against it. Her heart glowed just out of her reach, and she stared at it, no desire to put it back inside her chest. She lost track of how long she laid there, staring at her beautiful, bright pink heart. It had a dark spot in the center, but it was so small, so fixable._

_So weak, she thought. Her natural derision for evil jerked inside of her, and she pushed it away. Her mother was right. Love was weakness. Her quest for love left her broken and sobbing on the floor every single time, and she decided in that moment that she'd never be used like this again. Her heart shimmered and then faded._

_She pushed herself up and snagged the glowing organ. She held it in the air, watching the bright glow dull as her anger grew. The black in the center seeped towards the edges, and she felt disappointed when it stopped before encasing all of the pink but relieved as her pain faded to a monotonous throb at the back of her mind. _

_As she slipped it back inside her chest, she vowed to complete her heart's transformation if it was the last thing she did. The blacker her heart, the lesser her pain, and dark magic gave her the power she needed to make it happen._

Regina shook herself from the memory when someone knocked on the door. She glance back at Lauren standing quietly by the door. Despite being in a completely different realm, the girl patiently waited until the former queen addressed her before speaking.

"Are you on your break, Miss Danes?" Regina asked needlessly. The girl nodded.

"You asked me to stop in before I left," Lauren fidgeted, and Regina clamped down on the demeaning remark bubbling in her throat.

"Indeed, I did," she said instead. "I'll just have the coffee, nothing more. Enjoy your lunch and tell Granny to call me if she has any questions about our arrangement." Lauren nodded and then disappeared.

Regina sighed in relief of being alone with Emma once more. She gathered her resolve and then raised her eyes to Emma's face. At first glance in the darkened room, she thought Emma had drifted off during her tale. Her eyes were closed, but her chin quivered slightly and tears leaked onto her cheeks. She'd heard every word. Regina swiped her own tears quickly and then returned her head to that comfortable spot on Emma's thigh, eyes shut tightly against the sight of Emma crying yet again.

Emma said nothing, but a moment later, her hand landed softly on Regina's hair.


	15. Show Me Your Teeth

Hello Sweet Doves! So, this is a lot of fluff that I tapped out very quickly because A) I could and B) after that last chapter I think we all need some fluff and C) the episode we are up to is pretty much completely Ruby/Red-centered. Thank you for the reviews and follows. They are little rays of sunshine! Enjoy lovelies!

Songs: Private Parts and Beautiful with You by Halestorm, Off With Her Head by Icon for Hire

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The rest of the day passed without incident. Ruby stopped by that evening and confirmed that she had in fact agreed to buy lunch for the hospital staff. She also told her not to worry about that night because Granny rigged some sort of cage in the pantry that might hold her for the night, and Belle agree to stay with Henry tonight in the Mills Mansion. She knew that her son was safe but still felt guilty for not being there. She was needed here, undistracted, and handed Ruby the necklace from Gold without hesitation.

Emma floated in and out of consciousness. At times, she touched Regina's hair or hand, and others Regina glanced over from whatever inane television show she watched to find Emma simply studying her with soulful green eyes. She'd said nothing else since asking Regina for her earlier story. Her body ached from her round with Ruby, and before darkness fell outside the covered window, Regina gave herself over to relief of sleep.

She growled when that same ridiculous song about the stripper woke her for the second morning in a row. She'd forgotten to change it before drifting off.

"Make it through the night, Wolf Pup?" Regina grumbled, trying her best to be gentle with the probably exhausted girl.

"She's gone!" Granny's terrified voice filtered through the phone, and Regina bolted upright.

"She got out?" Regina confirmed, not yet believing what Granny said.

"She tore the damn door down, Regina. I can track her scent, but I don't know what state I'll find her in. I already called Belle. She's at the bus stop with Henry, so she should be here in a minute. Do you think…" Her question was interrupted by Regina's quick reply.

"Of course, I'll be over in a flash, literally," she added with a serious note and then slipped into her boots.

With a glance to ensure Emma rested peacefully, she poofed to Granny's diner. The woman still held Ruby's cell phone to her ear. It must have been the closest phone available when she discovered Ruby gone. A moment later Belle barreled through the door but never stepped into the diner.

"Let's go," her frantic eyes searched the faces of both women before she turned and bounded down the steps.

Granny and Regina followed at a slower pace. Regina grunted in pain with each step, almost wishing she'd agreed to the narcotics Eva had offered her. Belle stopped suddenly at the end of the walk when she realized that she hadn't a clue which direction to turn. She whipped about, hands flying to her hips, and glared at Granny. The elder Lucas paid her no mind and focused on Ruby scent, leading them towards the park and ultimately the woods.

"Is she close, Granny?" Belle blustered for the hundredth time, wringing her hands.

Regina felt sorry for the girl, wondering if this is how she'd looked in the emergency room covered in Emma's blood after she'd been shot. Uncertain if Belle welcomed her touch yet, she curled her fingers into fists, fighting both the urge to comfort the girl and the pain in her leg.

"There!" Granny pointed, and Belle took off like a shot.

"Ruby!" She called and then picked her way through the forest with a certain grace that surprised both Regina and Granny.

The young wolf sat up, horror passing in her eyes when she realized where she was. Belle practically mounted the poor girl, knees hitting the soft dirt on either of Ruby's hips. Ruby, to her credit, accepted her weight and momentum gracefully and kept them upright with a hand behind her and on around Belle's back. Since the night in pantry, they'd been gentle and tentative with their touches. A light hand or hug, brief and innocent brushes of lips when they lost their fight with self-control.

Belle gave up every pretense of self-control when she pulled Ruby's lips to hers with splayed hands on her cheeks. Ruby sat up straighter and pressed the bodies together, accepting the comfort and passion the librarian offered her so freely. Regina studied Granny's reaction, turning her eyes from the reunion. She wondered if Granny had caught on to Ruby and Belle's developing relationship, but her wide eyes and parted lips told her that she hadn't known the depth, not until this moment.

"Ruby," she called to her granddaughter when they finally parted and acknowledged the presence of the older women.

Ruby's eyes widened in renewed horror as the realization of what her grandmother just witnessed crashed into her like a sack of bricks in the gut. Her ears burned a bright red, and she stuttered but nothing tangible fell from her mouth. Belle hid her face in Ruby's hair, head leaning on her shoulder. She seemed completely oblivious to the silent conversation happening between her lover and her grandmother.

"You hurt?" Granny asked, and Ruby shook her head.

"Come on, then. I'll make us some breakfast," Granny either accepted Belle and Ruby immediately or at least delayed addressing it for now. Regina wasn't sure which.

The sheriff's phone buzzed and Granny tossed it to Regina before stomping off towards town. Ruby's face fell, but she became easily distracted when Belle kissed her again. Regina took a deep breath. Another battle, different day, she reminded herself and then answered the phone.

"Sheriff," she answered cordially, mimicking the greeting she'd heard a hundred times from Emma and Red.

"Hey Granny, we need to stop by the cannery," Regina called to the older woman who had stopped a decent distance, facing away from them with her arms crossed tightly.

"Oh god," Ruby whispered, pulling Belle's mouth from hers.

"It's a double parked car. Lower your hackles, Wolf Pup," Regina chided gently. Ruby relaxed minutely and lifted Belle from her legs.

The librarian giggled and offered Ruby a hand, which she took and never let go as they traipsed back towards the cruiser. Red frowned at Regina's limp but said nothing, knowing the older woman would deny her pain and any assistance, saving face while sparing her feelings of guilt.

Regina's stomach sank when she saw Billy's tow truck double parked near the dumpster of the cannery. Something wasn't right, she felt it like magic crackling in the air. Granny stepped out of the car first, and Regina fought the urge to tell her girls to stay put until they checked it out. She sighed and held her tongue. Ruby wasn't a child, and if she harmed Billy last night, she supported her completely and would help her deal with the consequences. They followed Granny.

"Regina," the elder called from the front of the tow truck. She knelt at Billy's head and stared up at Regina with wide eyes. The man's body had been torn in two at his belly.

A piercing squall filled the air, bouncing off the walls of the cannery. Regina moved as quickly as she could to the dumpster. Red held Belle behind with one arm and stared into the metal box. Billy's feet hung out the side, and Regina knew exactly what Ruby studied in horror.

"It was the wolf!" She cried when Regina stepped between her eyes and Billy's mutilated body.

"We don't know that, Ruby," Regina countered calmly and placed her hands on her young friend's shoulders.

"I don't believe you did this, Ruby," Belle offered in quiet conviction, despite the evidence pointing towards the wolf.

"No!" Ruby broke free from their hands and spun away. "You don't understand, Belle. I'm a monster. I'm dangerous! You need to stay away from me!" Ruby's control slipped quickly, and Granny was right there to offer a shoulder to her granddaughter, the only person Ruby knew how to fully trust because she'd been the only one who'd never abandoned her and never turned her back. Snow accepted her, but she'd abandoned her plenty, Regina thought angrily.

And then something no short of miraculous happened. Belle stepped forward with hesitant steps and placed her hands on Ruby's shoulders.

"I will do no such thing, Ruby Lucas. Stop trying to make me," Belle chastised the young wolf with brazen hands on her hips. Granny's eyes widened over Ruby's shoulder. It wasn't often one shocked Granny Lucas.

Ruby sniffed and lifted her head from Granny's chest. Her eyes dared to be hopeful as she studied Belle's face, looking for any sign of hesitation or doubt.

"I'm falling in love with you, Ruby Red Lucas," she confessed quietly, saying Ruby's full name for the second time, "and that includes your wolf, your rage, your heart, your kindness and bravery and those lips that I could spend the rest of my life kissing and die a happy woman." Belle's voice never wavered, never questioned the truth behind the words.

"Belle," Ruby sobbed and fell into the younger woman. Granny stiffened but let her granddaughter go with a tightening of her eyes the only indication that she'd felt it.

"Perhaps here is not the best place to discuss this," Regina suggested, eying the growing crowd nervously.

"Regina, you need to lock me up. The freezer wouldn't hold me, but maybe a jail cell will. Please!" Ruby pleaded, clearly not caring about the people now watching and pointing. Regina sighed and pulled her cell phone from her pocket.

"Eva," she greeted the sleepy voice on the other side of the phone. "I'm sorry to call so early, but I need your help. No, Emma's fine. We found a body. Yes, we need the investigative team that we put together. No, I can't be involved and neither can Ruby. It looks like a wolf's kill, but I don't think it is. It's too clean. The cannery. Okay, I'll wait until you get here."

Regina ended the call. She feared that she'd let Ruby down by not being with her last night, but she swore to be here for her now.

"Belle, you and Ruby go the diner and get cleaned up," Regina ordered.

Her phone rang. Stacy. "Hello Madame Mayor," Regina answered, glad to hear Stacy's voice.

"Yes, I'm here now. We need you to gather some people to handle crowd control. Dr. Zambrano is gathering the medical examiner and his team right now. Get down here now, so I can figure out who did this." Regina tapped her foot impatiently and crossed her arms over her chest. They needed Ruby's hood.

It was nearly noon by the time they coaxed Ruby out of her room. Belle guarded it like a hawk, only permitting Regina and Granny entry when Ruby asked for them. They wasted time with this idiotic game. They only had a few hours until dark, and they still needed to find Billy's murdered and Ruby's cloak.

"Granny, can you go back to the cannery and follow the scent of Billy's blood. I have a feeling it won't lead you here. I'll take Ruby somewhere safe." The request was huge, but Granny nodded anyway. She'd never have asked the woman to leave her granddaughter's side under normal circumstances, but they needed to move on this while they had light.

Regina called the hospital every hour and checked on Emma. She woken a few times but hadn't spoken. Regina should have written her a note before she left, but messages passed on by nurses would have to suffice until she figured this situation out.

"Ruby, we need to take you to the station and get you settled. I don't believe you killed Billy, but we do need to contain the wolf until you regain control." Regina banged her fist against the door once, and then it opened.

"I know," Ruby said quietly. She'd obviously been crying. Belle hovered just behind her, far enough to allow Ruby her independence but close enough to reach out and touch if she needed her.

Their plans were thwarted, however, when a mob led by Spencer/ King George greeted them at the sheriff's station. They demanded Ruby's blood for what had been done to Billy. Regina drove on. She parked near The Toll Bridge, hands gripping the wheel tightly. She needed magic to save Ruby from this situation. Even if the girl had killed Billy, she hadn't deserved the death penalty for it, not when she lost control of the wolf because of the curse.

"I'm going to the hospital to check on Emma. Do not leave this spot until I get back," she ordered the women in the backseat and then disappeared in a flash.

Ruby slumped against the seat and bounced her foot anxiously. Belle studied her for a moment and then touched her face. She'd mostly sat at the foot of Ruby's bed this morning and watched over the sobbing woman, unsure what to say to make any of this better. Ruby jerked to attention when Belle straddled her thighs.

Ruby swallowed roughly when Belle stood on her knees, her breasts an inch from Ruby's upturned face. Her hands trembled when Belle moved them to her legs, guiding them beneath her dress and then leaving them to rest near her hips. She smoothed Ruby's hair and lowered her mouth to the wolf's. Belle's intentions were clear, and Ruby felt herself giving into them for a moment and then pulled back.

"I've never… with a woman," Ruby admitted and averted her eyes to the window. Belle pulled it back with a warm hand.

"I've never made love to anyone, so I guess we're on equal ground," Belle admitted softly.

"You're a virgin?" Ruby's eyebrows shot towards the sky. Belle blushed and lowered her eyes shamefully.

"Except when the Evil…" Ruby stopped her mid-sentence with two fingers on her lips.

"Don't think about that right now," she begged, knowing it would spoil whatever was happening.

"I don't want your first time to be in the back of a car, Belle," Ruby continued. "Believe me when I say that I definitely want it to be me, but I want it to be special, you know?" She ducked her head to meet Belle's eyes and then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear when Belle raised her head.

"It will be with you, Ruby. I don't care where we are. I just want to feel you, all the time," Her big blue eyes shone with honesty, and Ruby gave up the pretense of chivalry.

"Don't regret me, Belle," Ruby pleaded, suddenly vulnerable. She gave her words a moment to sink in, waiting for Belle to change her mind.

The librarian smiled and returned Ruby's hand to her thigh, maintaining eye contact with the exposed wolf. Ruby swallowed. Belle kissed her. Ruby broke, knowing there wouldn't be an ounce of strength in her to stop unless Belle asked. She already throbbed and burned to feel Belle inside of her, throw the full moon on top of it, and it was a recipe for a crazed werewolf in love. A low growl rumbled in her throat and her hands clenched Belle's skin as she gave herself over to it.

Belle hummed into her lips, sliding her tongue across Ruby's. The wolf made a valiant effort to wait, allow Belle the opportunity to fully experience all of the new sensations coursing through her body, but the throb between her legs fueled by the scent of Belle's arousal destroyed her valor. Her hands slid further up Belle's dress, over curvaceous hips and flat stomach, and then cupped her breasts through her bra. They were bigger than she anticipated, deceived by Belle's modest mode of dress.

Belle responded with a gasp, head falling backward. Ruby followed the movement up and tugged the flimsy dress over her head. Her lips pressed against Belle's neck as she forced herself not to look at the practically naked woman, not yet or she'd lose it. Belle, however, had different ideas. She grabbed Ruby's deputy shirt with both hands and ripped it open; buttons flew. Ruby's lower stomach clenched and rolled. She had the hottest girlfriend on the planet, not only did she accept Ruby's wolf but intentionally engaged it's wild, uncontrollable desire in a tug-o-war that took her right up to the edge and then left her aching between control and the brink of collapse.

She pushed the shirt down her arms and then flung it to the front seat. Belle sat back on her knees, drinking her in, memorizing her body with hungry eyes. She swallowed thickly as her breathing quickened at the need in Belle's eyes. They came together, fumbling with bra clasps, lips and tongues dueling for dominance. Then there was nothing separating the flesh of their upper bodies.

Ruby moaned shamelessly at the heaviness of Belle's breasts weighing on her chest above her own much smaller mounds. Hesitantly, Belle traced a single finger down Ruby's chest, pausing just above her nipple. She pulled back and asked Ruby permission with hazy blue eyes. Ruby answered with a kiss, hands clutching thighs painfully when Belle lightly grazed her nipple.

"Belle," she whispered, and the other woman pulled back, suddenly frightened.

"Did I do it wrong?" her eyes filled with tears as the question tumbled out, and Ruby chuckled.

"I want to see you," Ruby explained and pressed her lips to skin just below Belle's ear.

She moved one hand between Belle's shoulder blades and guided her backwards with the other on her shoulder. She easily held the small woman with her wolf strength. Belle allowed her to look, slightly nervous that she'd be unpleasing to the more experienced woman. Ruby slowly moved her eyes up the body in front of her, from the soft tuft of hair at the apex of her thighs to a flat stomach and chest heaving with desire and adrenaline.

Ruby's hand followed her eyes and Belle shivered. "Perfect," the word fell from her lips absently as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Belle's stomach, her ribs, the underside of her breast. Belle nearly bucked out of her grasp when her warm, wet tongue pressed against her nipple. Ruby pulled her back into a sitting position and returned her mouth to the nipple. Belle clutched her head, fingers digging painfully into her scalp. Her hips rolled against Ruby's stomach, and the wolf moan at the hot liquid left there to cool. Belle needed her to hurry the hell up.

Fingertips trailed over alabaster skin until they found soft hair. Ruby pulled back an inch, enough to catch her breath. She'd made sure that Belle wanted this, but did she? Belle waited, wide-eyed and heaving, recognizing the indecision. Perhaps she was too inexperienced for Ruby?

"Belle," the librarian dropped her head, bracing for the rejection. "I'm falling in love with you, too," Ruby whispered into Belle's hair.

When the woman atop her met her eyes, she slid a single finger over the bundle of nerves above her slit. Belle's eyes widened instead of closing like Ruby expected, and she smiled into the kiss that came next. Belle's hips danced under her fingers, and when Ruby slipped two inside her, she stilled completely. Panic rose in Ruby's stomach, telling her she'd moved too quickly.

"I'm okay," Belle assured and then pressed her lips to Ruby's once more.

When it became obvious that Ruby was too scared to move again, Belle rolled her hips, taking all of Ruby's long thin fingers into her. She moaned loudly, shamelessly, and the sound ripped away Ruby's reservations, trusting Belle would stop her if she flashed back to the Evil Queen. Belle continued to roll her hips as Ruby met her with gentle thrusts. It was beautiful and perfect and painfully slow. Ruby took the hint when Belle bit into her neck painfully, frustrated with being so close to going over the edge and needed that last push.

Ruby increased her pace, fighting with her wolf that begged her to slam into the woman as hard as she could. She added a third finger, keeping her fast pace without increasing the force behind it. Belle stilled again, and Ruby caught her around the back as she arched. It was over in a moment, and she collapsed into Ruby's chest with her velvet walls still clenching around the wolf's fingers. Ruby curled her fingers once. Belled cried out as her hips jerked into her stomach and then again when she sank back onto Ruby's fingers.

The wolf grinned wickedly and repeated the motion with the same result, and then Belle moved against her again and again and again holding Ruby's shoulders for leverage. She may have been quiet, but when she let herself go, Belle contained more passion and wanton desire than anyone else Ruby had ever seen, herself included. She may just need her wolf rage to keep up with her, she thought as she watched Belle come undone a third time and collapse into her.

Belle clamped onto her shoulder with sharp teeth when she pulled her fingers free, her hips shuddering and quaking and wanting to move out of control once more. She panted into Ruby's neck and planted kisses along her jaw line, nipping and sucking when the mood struck her. Her hands shook when she cupped Ruby's smaller breasts, but Ruby's moan stole her insecurities.

Belle leaned onto the seat and brought Ruby on top of her. Her blue eyes shone with emotion, and Ruby took a moment to kiss her eyelids and then the liquid that slipped from beneath them. Belle tried to continue, fumbling with Ruby's belt for a few moments before covering her face with her hands.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm crying," Belle apologized and Ruby shushed her.

"It happens sometimes when its really good," Ruby explained to the inexperienced woman and then grinned wickedly. "Guess that saves me asking how I did," Ruby quipped and pulled Belle's hands away from her face.

She took in the moment and then lay her thin body over Belle's. She held her weight on her elbows and trailed gentle kisses over Belle's neck and chest, helping her return from the emotional high. Belle clutched her back, calming in the safety of Ruby's warmth, and after a few minutes moved steadier hands to Ruby's belt once more.

The wolf shimmied out of the black slacks with some difficulty in the tight space. Belle watched her reveal her skin, reaching out to touch a particularly appealing piece every now and then. Ruby looked down at her expectantly, and she froze. Ruby pulled back.

"You don't have to," she quickly reassured her lover. Belle followed her body up, grunting when the muscles in her stomach protested slightly. It felt wonderful to be sore there.

"I want to," she whispered into Ruby's lips. "I'm just not sure how," she admitted, a little embarrassed.

"Oh, uhh, here," Ruby leaned her back against the door and set one foot on the floor. Belle stared for a moment, shocked at Ruby's openness. Instead of soft hair between Ruby's legs, she only saw skin. Her stomach clenched as she looked at her lover, wetness renewing again between her legs.

Ruby reached for her, guiding her to straddle her thigh, perhaps sensing her need to be touched where her pressure was building again. She focused on Ruby, touching her everywhere and nowhere at once. The wolf squirmed and moaned beneath her fingers, unsure if this was actually Belle's first time or if she was just an incredibly quick study. She faltered a moment, stumbling around Ruby's clit, and then grinned triumphantly when hips raised off the seat as she found her mark.

She fumbled for her rhythm when she entered Ruby but found it quickly, studying every sound and matching it with how her fingers were positioned. Finally, she curled her fingers upward when she reached her knuckles, and Ruby's hand flew into the window above her head, searching for a hold to anchor her to reality.

"There. That. Do that," Ruby mumbled as her eyes slammed shut. Belle's brow furrowed in concentration as she followed Ruby's instruction. Each time she pressed the small bud within Ruby, the wolf squirmed and moaned her approval.

"Belle, yes," she encouraged absently, trying her best to communicate through the haze of her arousal. She remembered being so awkward her first time, not knowing which way to turn or how to move her hips, and she wanted Belle to feel proud of sending her into oblivion. Also, it just felt too damn good to keep the feeling inside.

"More." Belle obliged the request.

"Harder." She obeyed Ruby's command, completely enthralled by the thrashing and moaning. She nearly climaxed again when the realization slapped her that Ruby behaved this way because she'd given her pleasure.

Ruby rocked with her hand and then tumbled over the edge. Belle twitched her fingers, drawing out the pleasure like Ruby had done for her, and then fidgeted uncomfortably as her own arousal burned and twitched beneath her skin once more.

Ruby gripped her hips with shaking hands and guided her once more to straddle her. Their combined heat pressing together stirred moans from both throats, and without being told Belle rolled her hips into Ruby's, providing pressure on both of their clits. Belle found a pace and Ruby followed the rhythm, faltering slightly when Belle threw her head back and pressed her forearms into the ceiling of the cruiser. She was almost positive that Belle had no knowledge of what her body was doing instinctively… eyes shut, hips acting of their own volition.

Her breasts bounced and wiggled, and Ruby's stomach clenched painfully at the sight. She grabbed Belle's hips and forced them down to hers, over and over they slammed together, neither minding the roughness and tinge of pain that followed each meeting. Ruby came first, hands stilling as her body went rigid. Belle ground against her a few more times and then followed, collapsing onto Ruby's chest and immediately being enveloped in strong arms. Ruby lace her fingers over Belle's back, not trusting her shaking limbs to stay put on strength alone.

Belle's ear pressed against Ruby's chest. The staccato thumping instilled a sense of triumph inside of her, knowing her own heart matched the pace. She held the spot until Ruby's heart rate returned to normal and then lifted her head, catching Ruby's chocolate lab eyes with her own.

"Thank you," Belle whispered reverently, tears welling again. She wasn't sure if they were happy, sad or simply a physical representation of the overwhelming emotions pulling through her.

"For what?" Ruby wrestled with her own overwhelming emotions, knowing if she allowed herself, she could have sex for hours on the day of the full moon. She'd done it before and then howled at the moon all night, sometimes returning to the man with just a hint of darkness left. She forced herself to change back before it happened naturally, forcing herself to feel that intense need, and allowed the man to take her however he wished. She didn't want that with Belle, not yet at least.

"For seeing me as woman and not a victim, not everyone would," Belle admitted softly, eyes turning away. It had gone without saying that she meant Rumpel.

"He wouldn't even touch you?" Ruby blurted, and Belle shook her head.

"Is this acceptable conversation afterward?" Belle asked very seriously, and Ruby laughed.

"It's called pillow talk, and given where my thoughts just were, I'm going to say yes." She tucked some hair behind Belle's ear and traced her jaw line.

"Where were your thoughts?" Belle asked suddenly, grasping for more of Ruby's life, a glimpse inside her mind.

"On the things I used to do during the full moon that I'd like to do with you someday," she replied vaguely. Belle cocked her head to one side and tightened her eyes.

"If it involves me, I think I've a right to know what I'm getting into," Her eyes were over exaggerated, twinkling with delight.

"I don't think you'll have a problem with it. I had sex for 8 hours straight once," she granted reluctantly, and Belle's eyes widened.

"How many men did that take?" Belle asked and then clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide with embarrassment, but Ruby saw no judgment in them, only curiosity and something hazier, something that told Ruby she might one day repeat the adventure with Belle and Belle alone.

"4 and a half. I started to change before he finished, couldn't hold it off any longer. Some of them got two goes at it," she elaborated before Belle asked.

"They were soldiers in Snow's army. I just walked into their tent one afternoon wearing nothing but my red cloak, closed the tent flap, and then dropped it. They caught on pretty quickly since it was the full moon, and rumor of wolf's rage turning into sexual aggression on the day of the full moon is widely spread… except it's actually true. They justified their actions to Snow by saying I begged them to do it so that I could stay focused, as her personal bodyguard." Ruby admitted bitterly, pain and anger coming to a head.

"They couldn't just admit that they'd had a good time in an unusual situation with someone who wasn't their wife. It's not like it mattered anyway, but Snow and David just got this… look, like I was dirty somehow because I needed to blow off steam. It's not like they really cared what their shoulders did. They only cared about winning that damn war with Regina." Ruby jerked, her arms tightening around Belle almost painfully. She truly was angry with Snow for the way she was treated.

"I thought she was your best friend?" Belle asked and then wiggled to loosen the wolf's hold a bit.

"She is. She's the first person who ever accepted me as both wolf and human, even after I killed someone, she stuck by me. She was a really great friend to me then, and then true love happened to her. It's like she just completely turned around, suddenly judging me for having sex when before she never judged me when I killed my boyfriend. I ate him, for god's sake!" Ruby calmed again, not wanting her rage to take over.

"I mean, she and David are really good people. They are. It's just, sometimes they think of themselves as so superior because their souls are white. Most people are grey. It's just the way it is," Ruby deflated as her anger dissipated.

Belle kissed her chin and then returned her head to the soothing thump of Ruby's heart. She drew nonsensical patterns over Ruby's shoulder.

"Belle?" Came a small voice a few minutes later.

"Hmmm?" Belle hummed lazily, vibrating Ruby's skin.

"Does it bother you, what I did?" Ruby asked haltingly, afraid to know the truth. Belle raised her head again, smile on her lips and love in her clear blue eyes.

"Only if it bothers you. You didn't sound ashamed until you started talking about Snow's reaction to it. If you're okay with your decision, then who am I to judge you? I'm the girl who tried to rehabilitate the Dark One, remember? Morally grey is sort of a turn on for me." In her mind she'd imagine the words being more lighthearted, but when they tumbled from her mouth, she knew they were true. She was attracted to the dark, not crazy scary Evil Queen dark, but enough edge to make her heart beat faster. Ruby had not sucked at that.

"I like morally grey," Ruby responded huskily as the pressure between her legs built again. Belle noticed the change in her voice and quickly brought their lips together. She wanted all of Ruby, all of her stories and her pains, but right now, she just wanted her body squirming beneath hers in ecstasy.

Belle rolled her hips against Ruby's and winced. The woman beneath her pulled back at her obvious discomfort. It's been a while since she herself had had sex, but she wasn't nearly as sore as Belle.

"And that is why we will slowly work up to 8 hours," Ruby said as she tucked a shock of brown frizzy hair behind Belle's ear.

"Can I just kiss you then? Or will it rile your wolf?" Belle asked seriously, her voice deep, bring her accent out in a thick balm against Ruby's tortured heart. She melted under the gentle concern. It wasn't that Belle constantly worried about her wolf taking over but simply asked out of respect for Ruby's comfort.

"I'd like that," Ruby smiled widely and accepted Belle's lips against her.

It was soft, exploratory. They both felt the passion beneath it, and let the embers burn slowly rather than fan the flame. Just kissing Belle exhilarated her in a way only one other thing ever had, the first time she ran threw the woods and remembered everything.

They jerked apart at a sudden tap at the window. Belle's eyes widened comically as the panic overtook her. It was one thing to be caught in the pantry, but she was completely naked and on top of a naked Ruby.

"Miss Lucas, I do hope those windows are steamed because Miss French blew a lot of hot air with one of her stories," the windows muffled Regina's amused voice.

Belle scrambled away quickly, searching for her clothes.

"Regina, we're going to need a minute," Belle yelled through the glass, eyes tracking the shadow behind the steam.

Ruby shimmied into her pants and bra and then reached across the seat for her ruined shirt. She closed her eyes and sighed when she remembered that Belle had ripped all of the buttons off of it. She pulled it onto her arms anyway and then stepped into the cool evening air.

Regina raised one eyebrow and let her eyes linger as they moved down Ruby's exposed stomach.

"Adding voyeurism to your repertoire?" Ruby pulled the shirt together and crossed her arms.

Belle saved Regina from answering when she rolled down the window and held a cell phone out.

"And I'm hungry like a wolf!" Blared from the speaker.

"It says Granny is calling, but I don't know how to answer the infernal thing," Belle grumbled in frustration. Ruby punched the right button, and Belle pulled the phone back inside. The window muffled her conversation when she rolled it up, keeping the precious heat inside.

"Got a plan, Witch?" Ruby asked before Regina commented on what she knew had just happened between the younger women.

"Nothing that ends well for you," Regina admitted honestly, crossing her arms over her chest at the thought of the mob hurting Ruby. "Granny has them all believing that you are locked in at the station. They're trying to break in now, so it will only be a matter of time until they realize you're not there. They'll eventually come to the library. I've strengthened some chains with an enchantment. They should hold you, and if not, I will be there." Regina assurance did little to soothe the younger woman.

"Where's Henry?" The boy definitely needn't be around to watch her tear apart his mother.

"He's sitting with Emma. He believes I am helping Stacy with a crisis at the Mayor's office. I'll tell him the truth one day, I suppose," Regina confessed miserably.

"Children need to be protected, not from everything or they end up like me, but let him be a kid while he is a kid. It will be gone soon enough. You did the right thing," Ruby comforted the woman as best she could. Regina nodded once, sniffed, and then straightened her spine. It must have worked.

"Let's get you chained up, then," Regina gestured towards the cruiser and then gimped to the passenger side. "I'd drive, but I'm in terrible pain and an even fouler mood.

When they arrived, Ruby immediately inspected the chains. Belle focused on something other than Ruby's toned stomach and the teeth marks purpling on her neck. Regina paced.

"Well?" She said pointedly when Ruby dropped the chain to the floor.

"It should hold," she confirmed.

Regina's response died in her throat when her phone rang. "Did you find it, Granny? Okay, just wait for me. What street?" Regina ended the call and looked between the two women.

"Ruby, get yourself chained up. Wolf's time will begin any minute. I'll be back as soon as I can." Then she poofed.

Ruby rattled the chains again, double checking their strength. Belle touched her shoulder in concern.

"I'll see you in the morning. You'd better get going. This isn't going to be pretty." Ruby cupped her neck and traced a thumb along her jaw.

"I'm not leaving you," Belle protested indignantly.

"Belle, I could kill you!" Ruby desperately wanted her to understand how dangerous she actually was.

"You won't," the librarian said with absolute certainty.

"Belle, I've killed before, and if I don't get control, I will do it again. The town is right to be afraid. You should be, too!" The woman was so damn stubborn, and it infuriated Ruby.

"Ruby," she set her warm hand on the taller woman's chest and stepped into her. "I have faith in you. You won't hurt me."

Ruby smiled sadly at her new lover and lowered her lips to Belle's. The wolf scratched to be free, clawing at her. The moon closed in on her, and she was powerless to stop it. Belle jerked at the cold steel suddenly around her wrist. She fisted the tanned deputy shirt, realizing that Ruby sacrificed herself because she believed she'd harm her.

"No, Ruby please! I just found you, please," Belle begged and fought against Ruby's hands as they pried hers from the shirt.

"I can't risk hurting you. I couldn't live with myself. You'll be safe here," Ruby held her hands tightly, staring into her eyes as if it was the last thing she wanted to remember before she died.

"Ruby, they'll kill you," Belle said through her tears and flung herself into Ruby's body, hands trapped between them.

"It's what I deserve. I've killed so many. It's time I pay for all I've done," Ruby murmured into her hair and then she was gone.

Belle sank to the floor arms wrapped around her stomach. Her brave and beautiful Ruby may never return, and her heart died a little.


	16. Let Me Be Your Shelter

Happy Memorial Day, Sweet Doves! This installment is appropriately devoted to our very real life heroes. I tip my hat respectfully to those of past and present military service. You truly know of the sacrifice I can only write about. Thank you for what you do everyday, for being heroes by simply following your heart and performing your duty.

That said, you will all cheer and cry and despise me for the feels, and it shall be glorious. Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: I Loved Her First by Heartland, We Found Love by Ed Sheeran, Save You by Emilie Autumn (another song that should have a Swan Queen/ Regina video if anyone feels so inclined!)

* * *

Regina appeared behind Granny on the street and gimped towards her. The old woman guarded a dark blue sedan parked on the street, crossbow at the ready. Granny Lucas would outlive all of them, Regina smirked at the thought. With a wave of her hand the trunk and doors flew open. Granny jumped, taking aim at the limping witch.

"Well, that's a motif I haven't seen in a while," Regina quipped. Granny scowled.

"How's Ruby?" Granny asked, carefully hiding her concern.

"She's with Belle at the library. Scared but in control," Regina answered nonchalantly as she moved things about in the trunk. "Are you certain this is the end of the blood trail?"

"Damn right," Granny huffed, hovering at Regina's shoulder.

"Regina," the older woman started, clearly uncomfortable with whatever she prepared to say. "There's no stopping what's happening between them, is there?" Granny's voice was even and casual, but when Regina's eyes met hers, she saw the depth of emotion her voice failed to express.

"I…" Regina gestured helplessly, searching for words. "No, I'm not certain anyone can. I've seen True Love. I've felt it, twice… I think." She wrinkled her nose, hoping she wasn't wrong about her connection with Emma.

"That what you think it is?" Granny grouched, skeptical that Belle possessed the strength to handle her granddaughter for long.

"I do. I'm certain they remain completely ignorant of the fact, but I believe Ruby has found her wife, Granny," Regina wanted to spit at the disgustingly sweet and naïve words falling from her lips, but she only grinned.

Granny harrumphed and said nothing more. She hip bumped Regina from the trunk and shoved the crossbow into her hands. She pulled things out, tossing them to the ground, and jerked up the cover that hid the spare tire. Beneath it lay Ruby's cloak and a hatchet covered in blood.

Regina said nothing but pulled her cell phone from her pocket. She let it ring as she hobbled to the front of the car. The generic sheriff's voicemail greeted her ears, and she faltered as Emma's voice apologized for missing the call and promised to return it as soon as possible. She ended the call and pulled the registration information from the glove box. Spencer. King George. He had made good on his promise of attacking those closest to Regina.

"Granny, Spencer killed Billy. There was no answer, so Ruby has changed already. Belle hasn't a clue how to answer a cell phone," Regina explained and hobbled back to the trunk.

Anger made Granny's eyes flash a dull yellow of the wolf and then dissipated. Almost everything had faded, but occasionally, extreme emotions pulled it to the surface. First they'd return Ruby's cloak, and then they'd track down the bastard who had tortured their girl for the past 24 hours. If Spencer saw morning and still drew breath, he would have been considered lucky.

At the library, Belle's recovery took longer than she was comfortable with, and she wiped her tears furiously and jerked at the chains. She knew it was useless, Regina enchanted them to hold a wolf. She glanced around for something that might help her, all of her books taunting her with their uselessness in this moment. She jerked at the chains again, the metal biting into her wrist. She'd be forced to sit here and wait for Ruby to die for something she may not have even done.

Ruby's cell phone blared its obnoxious song, and Belle's heart sang with joy. It was just out of her reach on the table, but she'd have a better chance with it than breaking the chains. She looked at her environment with new eyes. They settled on the strip of trim on the door frame. It was thin and flimsy and desperately needed replaced but it might just work.

She cursed silently when a splinter dug beneath her fingernail but never ceased working the paneling strip loose. Blood dripped onto the floor from her finger. She jerked with all of her weight and stumbled, held upright by the chain attached to her wrist. She cried out as it bit into her flesh and quickly righted herself. She'd done it. It was free.

"I'm coming, Ruby," she whispered to no one, reminding herself why she was behaving like a mad woman.

Papers flew from the desk, and with them came Ruby's cell phone. The rubber case stubbornly refused to slide easily across the floor, so Belle forced one of the finishing tacks into the material and gently lifted the phone, pulling the strip of trim like a rope until the phone was in her grasp.

The ringing had stopped several minutes ago, and Belle frantically studied the contemporary device.

_1 Missed Call: Mayor Hotpants. _Belle smiled at Ruby's constant flirtation with the older woman and wondered if she'd entered the name before or after they became friends. She took a deep breath and pressed the green button, hoping against all odds that she'd chosen correctly.

"Hello," came the snippy voice, and Belle laughed in hysterical relief.

"Regina, she's gone. She chained me up and said that she needed to pay for what she's done. She's gone to the mob," Belle relayed concisely, suddenly very calm now that she had options.

Muffled words met her ear, and she vaguely realized that Regina was relaying the information to Granny.

"We found Ruby's cloak. She didn't kill Billy. Granny is going to track the crowd. Stay on the line, okay. I'll be there momentarily," Regina ordered, and then she was.

She flicked her hand, and Belle winced when the shackle stuck to the dried blood and then pulled at her skin as it fell from her ruined wrist. She'd deal with it later. Regina snatched the phone from her hand and tossed her a beautiful red cloak with a hood. She turned from Belle and pulled the phone to her ear.

"Granny, where are they?"

Belle stayed still as the older women spoke. Regina's body coiled with tension, and she pressed her fingers into her temples and squinted as though she had a terrible headache. She'd seen the Evil Queen do that several times when she thought she wasn't looking, usually right after she'd done something particularly awful to her. She'd had a few in her life, the kind that make your stomach roil with the pain coursing through your mind. If Regina developed them when she was overwhelmed with stress or emotion, then she'd been that every time she'd visited her in her tower prison. Belle's heart clenched with the information. Hurting her had hurt Regina.

"What are you gaping at?" Regina snapped when Belle simply stared.

"Nothing. What did Granny say?" She changed the subject, not able to think about herself right now, not when Ruby was in danger.

"She thinks they are in the alley behind the cannery or close to there. It's a place to start."

Regina nearly grabbed her arm and then jerked back. Brown eyes met blue. The skin around Regina's eyes tightened, and her head tipped slightly away from the fluorescent light above them. Slowly, she raised her hand with the palm up, leaving the decision to Belle. The young woman stared at the limb and then into Regina's emotionless face. She desperately wanted the librarian to trust her, even if it was only for the sake of saving Ruby's life, but the choice was Belle's to make void of any sort of influence from the former royal.

For Ruby, she would, her heart decided spontaneously. Her hand slapped into Regina's in an awkward sort of handshake and then her body came apart, shifting into nothingness. She wanted to scream, to cry out for the feeling to stop. It was a dizziness far worst than anything she'd ever felt. The taste of chalk dust filled her mouth and the scent of apples filled her nostrils.

Her body jerked to attention, like she'd been laying in bed and suddenly felt like she was falling. Fresh air filled her lungs, sending her into a coughing fit. She glanced at Regina to see if she'd felt any of those awful things, but the woman focused on two opposing points around her. She faced Belle, but her arms were spread to either side and her head moved quickly to each side, challenging her environment with only her eyes.

The rumble of the mob finally broke through her mind as her senses acclimated to reality again. Regina held a hand towards the townspeople obviously keeping them back with only her harsh glare. Belle searched the darkness for what she kept them from and saw nothing.

And then, terrifyingly yellow eyes peeped around the corner of dumpster. Belle gasped. She knew those eyes, but she'd never seen them attached to a giant blackish-grey wolf before. Ruby.

"I can keep them back, but I can't guarantee that I will be fast enough to save your life if she attacks you," Regina informed her coldly. She'd seen the same struggle everyday since she'd met Ruby now reflected in Regina's eyes, the fight between the darkness and the person who harbored it.

"She won't hurt me," Belle replied confidently and then turned to the crowd. "She won't hurt any of us!" Anger at their ignorance flared as she turned on her heel and stomped down the alley.

She took a steadying breath about ten feet from the wolf. She trusted that Ruby was strong enough to return to her.

"Ruby?" The wolf snarled and retreated further from sight.

"Stop that," Belle ordered. "You don't frighten me, so stop trying." The wolf sniffed the air as if confirming that Belle smelled of no anxious sweat or nervous adrenaline.

"I'm going to put this on you," She held up the cloak and took a step forward. The wolf bared its teeth, a low growl vibrating from its throat.

"Ruby," Belle tried a different tactic and sank to her knees. The gravel bit into them painfully, but she ignored her discomfort.

"Ruby, you don't have to be a monster. You can be both wolf and human and still be good. I've seen it. I've seen your strength. I've seen your heart. The wolf is a part of you as a human. Let the human be a part of the wolf, Ruby." The wolf cocked its head to one side and then the other, as if understanding and considering what Belle said.

"I accept all of it, all of you," Belle's eyes dropped, terrified for the first time, but not of Ruby.

"I love you, Ruby Red Wolf Pup Lucas," she whispered as she forced her eyes back to the yellow only a foot from her. She used Regina's nickname for Ruby, knowing the other woman secretly loved it. Between her confession of love and the reminder of Regina's understanding of her darkness, she hoped it would be enough to get through.

The wolf stepped forward, breath on Belle's face. The librarian's eyes shot skyward in surprise to discover that Ruby's breath still smelled faintly of the coffee they'd had at the diner around lunch time. A cold wet nose nudged her hand and then slid beneath the red cloak. When Belle remained unmoved, distracted by her awe, Ruby nudged her again and then sat on her haunches. A high-pitched whimper puffed her jowls, and finally Belle understood.

She whipped the cloak in a flourish and placed it over Ruby's shoulders. She touched the wolf's face with two fingertips, gasped when the soft fur transformed into smooth skin. She squeaked when Ruby flung herself forward into her arms and pulled them to their feet. Ruby grasped her cheeks and neck with splayed fingers and studied her vulnerable blue eyes.

"I love you, too," she whispered confidently.

When she lowered her mouth to the librarian's, the crowd swelled and shifted with the new gossip, but the lovers heard nothing except their own pounding hearts. Belle wrapped her arms around Ruby's neck and deepened the kiss, heightening the mob's whispers and gestures. Ruby pulled back when she heard Granny's gruff voice.

"Got a problem with a hero kissing her princess? Bunch a hypocritical fools." She stomped towards the two younger women, snagging Regina's arm on the way.

Ruby beamed at her grandmother. It's likely the only blessing they'd ever receive, though she wasn't sure how she felt about being called a princess. She wasn't sure of much in this life at all, but she knew two things: Granny loved her more than anything else in this world and Belle had unknowingly just won the elder Lucas' respect by simply being herself and giving Ruby the unconditional devotion she'd promised. She might have easily turned her back and abandoned Ruby, but she bravely faced the darkest aspect of Ruby with acceptance and compassion instead of disgust and fear. It wasn't exactly as Granny had envisioned, but it was exactly what she'd wished for her granddaughter.

Ruby leaned down to kiss Granny on the cheek, but one of her hands remained on Belle's neck. The kiss ended too quickly, and Granny stiffened her spine and adjusted the crossbow in her hands when Ruby immediately pressed herself back into Belle for a celebratory hug. Regina touched the older woman's shoulder compassionately, knowing that she will wear the same look when Henry finally finds his true love and unconsciously lets her go to start a life of his own.

Granny scrunched her brow, and Regina thought the woman fought tears back. Then it was gone. Her mind conjured the image of Emma staring at her in the back hall, tying to give herself the way Ruby and Belle had. She rejected her when her magic came flooding back under Emma's hands, choosing darkness and power instead of Emma. Regret pulled at her heart. If she had wanted to escape, she'd have done it by now. Though it hadn't before, her magic came second to Henry and Emma. She vowed again to redeem herself, to become worthy of the two people who had stolen her heart, even in its hardened, blackened state.

"Ruby," Granny caught her granddaughter's attention gently, an odd softness in her scratchy voice. "You didn't hurt Billy. It was Spencer. We have proof, and he had your cloak." Ruby's eyes flashed yellow.

Regina's face tightened at the interaction, and she waved her hand over Ruby's ruined deputy's uniform. A faint purple glow followed her fingers, leaving behind a perfectly restored shirt, buttoned and free of wrinkles. Ruby nodded, still tingling from the static of Regina's magic against her skin. The confidence the uniform inspired rushed through her, and she smiled down at Belle. Blue eyes watched her face worshipfully, encouraging the young wolf woman to follow her instincts.

"Do your job, Deputy," Regina ordered regally. Ruby kissed Belle, sniffed the air and then took off in the direction of the man who had tried to murder her and had murdered one of her friends. Her red cloak billowed at her back, and the crowd parted easily, not daring to deter the young wolf from her duty.

Granny wrapped her arm around Belle's shoulders awkwardly, not used to expressing physical affection, or any type for that matter, to anyone except her granddaughter. Belle's mouth fell open, and bright blue eyes shimmered at the hesitant acceptance of her new place in the life of Granny and Ruby Lucas.

"Come on, Girl. Let's get you cleaned up. Do you know how to cook?" Granny interrogated as she pulled Belle towards the aisle the crowd created at Ruby's abrupt departure. Regina smiled, knowing Belle was about to get a hard time, and followed a few steps behind.

"No," Belle's apprehensive voice amused Regina. She'd literally just stared down a snarling werewolf without flinching, but Granny's hard tone unnerved her.

"You're going to learn tonight. We'll make Ruby's favorite. She can eat before she runs," Granny informed her, giving Belle no choice in the matter. Belle smiled happily and slightly terrified at the same time.

"Regina," Granny stopped suddenly and looked over her shoulder. "Go hug your son," She ordered with that same softness she'd used a few minutes ago with Ruby.

Regina nodded and then poofed, knowing her knee wouldn't carry her all the way to the hospital. A walk might have cleared her head, but she had nothing left to give to this day. A migraine had developed hours ago. She hadn't eaten at all, had only one cup of coffee. Her face throbbed every time her adrenaline spiked and her knee had moved from aching to stabbing pain thanks to her row with Ruby yesterday. She knew that she'd make the same decision over again, a thousand times if that's what Ruby needed. The younger woman had become the little sister she'd always wanted, and she protected her today, gave her everything she had to give. Now, exhausted and emotional, she wanted only to hug her son and hear Emma's voice.

Henry slept soundly on the cot when Regina appeared in the room. His storybook stretched over his belly, opened to an illustration of Red Riding Hood. Regina grinned at her son's intelligence. He knew far more than anyone gave him credit for, and she promised herself that she'd tell him the truth in the future. He deserved no less, but she owed it to him to make sure he remained ignorant of the darker aspects of their fairy tales selves at least a little longer.

"An hour," Emma whispered as Regina removed the book from Henry's belly.

"He's been asleep an hour?" She asked Emma and set the book on the side table. Emma nodded.

Regina touched his soft hair, taking a moment to feel him beneath her fingers. Everything she'd ever wanted sat in this room. All she had to do was reach out and side her fingers around it. Her eyes met Emma's. She desperately wanted to tell Emma everything, talk about their obvious connection, but she only stared, hoping Emma heard everything through her eyes.

She sighed, pulled the blanket to her son's chin and then moved to the other side of the bed, not pleased with the idea of sleeping in the chair. Leaving Emma unattended all night, however, was not an option in her opinion, nor was waking Henry.

"I'm sorry you can't speak more. Does it hurt badly today?" Regina asked, leaning her arms on the bed. Near enough to feel Emma's heat but not quite touching her.

Emma nodded.

"Eva said it should only last a few days. Your voice will heal quickly, I'm sure," Regina encouraged lightly. Emma shook her head, eyes filling with unshed tears.

"I know it may feel like a long time, but it's only temporary," Regina tried again.

Emma shook her head, splashing tears onto her face. Regina stiffened when Emma's hand rose shakily. Her fingertips touched Regina's chest above her heart and then fell back to the bed. Regina wanted to puke. Emma wasn't speaking because her heart hurt, not her throat.

"Emma," she breathed. It took a bit of maneuvering, but Regina managed to lay beside the injured woman on the bed. The position tore at her bruised ribs and aching back and she knew she'd be unable to maintain it for long, but Emma needed her, needed to feel something human. Since she'd awoken she'd only felt soft touches on her arms or face, and sometimes a person needed to lay safely beside another living breathing body. She'd done it plenty of times with Graham.

Green eyes darted wildly when the thoughts behind them realized that Regina intended to hold her. She shook her head wildly. Regina shushed her and slid an arm beneath Emma's neck. Emma calmed as she adjusted to the touch and the sensations pulling through her mind and body. When Regina felt certain she'd not protest further or flail and injure herself more, she pressed her face into Emma's hair.

"I'm here," she whispered and covered the back of Emma's hand. She barely suppressed her gasp when the sheriff's cold fingers spread, allowing hers to slip between them.

"I know pain that cuts too deeply to speak," Regina continued. "An anguish that tears at your heart, steals every ounce of strength within you. It's one of the reason I prefer sarcasm, that and it is simply too much fun to watch people squirm." Regina grinned against Emma's head.

"I'm not certain that will ever change," she confided in a secretive whisper and squeezed Emma's hand. A slight pressure on her fingers told Regina that Emma responded to her words, and then it was gone.

"You and I never had a choice, Miss Swan. Our lives were decided before we understood what it meant to live, and when we stepped off course, we were manipulated into the positions others desired us to hold." The words left a bitter tang on her tongue, and she wet her lips.

Emma's head tipped upward, and she pulled back enough to meet her gaze. Those bright green eyes showed Regina that her words achieved their goal. Emma understood her pain, recognized that Regina was trying to grasp hers. Emma lifted her lips to Regina's, holding them there only a moment before her head fell back against the pillow.

Regina knew she shouldn't, but she followed the mouth down until their lips were meshed together once more. A harsh sigh escaped Emma's throat at the contact. Her fingers clenched Regina's, and the former royal moved her lips against Emma's reverently, knowing exactly what she cradled in her hands in that moment. Her future. Emma's and Henry's. Emma's fragile emotional state. She took it all into her hands willingly and clutched it close to her heart, wanting nothing more than to shield it from the evil and pain this world rained upon them. As much as the responsibility terrified her, she wanted it.

Emma responded slowly, and a nagging voice in Regina's mind told her to stop, pull back, before her emotions carried away her common sense, but it was too late.

She released Emma's hand and threaded her fingers in tangled blonde hair. The fierce love she'd denied so long for Emma pulled to the front of everything else. They both cried shamelessly as their lips continued to move against each other. It wasn't particularly passionate or sensual, nothing that would ever have led to arousal, but the deep emotion expressed in their lips carried an equal amount of intimacy.

Regina's heart clenched in panic, and she paused momentarily, catching her breath. When she opened her eyes, her own fear reflected in Emma's bright green. Regina smiled, her entire face changing with the expression. She lowered her lips to Emma's again, hoping it was the right decision since the other woman wasn't exactly talkative at the moment. Emma's chin quivered against her own, but she accepted Regina's affection with a soft grunt in the back of her throat and softly moving lips.

It was the deepest intimacy Regina had ever shared. This wasn't about comforting Emma or sex or power or domination. This kiss represented two broken women sharing their profound and confusing affinity for each other, emotions too powerful to express in words even if they wanted. It spoke of love and respect and forgiveness, and it stretched on until their tears dried up and exhaustion pulled at their consciousness. It told them that sleep was safe now, sleep wanted to catch them until they were ready to face their realities again.

Regina knew she should move before she injured Emma and herself more, but when the sheriff pulled away from the kiss, she pressed her face into Regina's chest. Her cheek fell against blonde hair, and her hand searched for Emma's once more. The cold fingers accepted her warm ones again without hesitation.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Regina knew she'd pay the price in pain for the position in the morning, but she allowed her eyes to close anyway as sleep tugged her under. Just before she slipped into the bliss of unconsciousness, Emma's voice vibrated against her chest once more, and she might have cried again had she not been so far gone and exhausted.

"I forgive you, Regina."


	17. Be Good

Greetings, My Doves! Again, you will hate me, and I shall chuckle deeply at your cries of outrage.

Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews and follows (Almost 200! WHOO!). The brighten my day. J Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: Keep on Tryin' by Poco, We Found Love by Ed Sheeran, Rain by Patty Griffin

* * *

Emma pressed one finger to her lips in a shushing motion and then glanced down at a still slumbering Regina when Ruby and Belle appeared at the door of her hospital room. Sometime during the night, Emma had asked the nurse to help her move over to give Regina more room. The gruff woman had scowled and scolded her for allowing the other woman to remain in her bed but ultimately gave into her request in lieu of waking the former evil queen.

To her delight, Regina remained asleep or at least semi-unconscious and readjusted her position. She had hummed quietly and removed her arm from beneath Emma's neck and then nuzzled into her shoulder. Her hand wrapped around Emma's bicep when she settled into the new position, but it now rested limply against Emma's hip. Even asleep, it seemed that Regina knew where she could and couldn't touch Emma's injured body.

After she'd woken, she'd remained awake, dozing off occasionally when the morphine kicked in, and watched over Regina. She knew the woman's nightmares tormented her and longed to comfort her again, even though she barely managed to comfort herself. Her strength had returned in that dark, quiet room as she worked through her pain and confused thoughts surrounding Regina. She'd meant what she said, she'd forgiven her, but she also knew that forgiveness wasn't something you flipped on and off. It was a process that took effort every second of every day until the hurt and fear subsided. She knew she'd undoubtedly miss a step and falter, probably more than once, but she knew Regina understood as long as she kept trying.

Henry sat quietly on the cot, book in his lap, looking expectantly at the women as they took in the scene before them. He seemed comfortable with his mothers cuddling on the bed, like the sight was perfectly normal.

If they hadn't known any better, they could have sworn that they'd walked in on a married couple and their kid in the dim hospital room. Unknowingly, Emma's thoughts reflected theirs, eyebrows climbing at comfortable connectedness of her friend and the new librarian. She'd missed a lot. Ruby's arm held Belle around the back, fingers peeking from beneath her arm beside her breast. Beneath a red cape, Belle held Ruby's hip possessively. A white plastic bag hung from Belle's free hand, a drink holder full of foam cups in Ruby's.

"We brought breakfast for Regina and Henry," Belle explained quietly and finally released Ruby when Henry stood.

She moved to the boy and wrapped him in her arms before digging in the bag and presenting him pancakes and crispy bacon. Ruby handed him a cup of hot chocolate and ruffled his hair.

"Hey kiddo," she grinned at the boy who had become like a little brother or a nephew to her.

Belle beamed up at her lover as she snagged her coffee out of the cardboard tray and then dug into the bag again. Ruby smiled, knowing exactly what she sought, and then retreated to the chair on the opposite side to watch Belle and Henry together. She sat the tray on the floor beside the chair and then leaned back, sipping her own coffee.

"I'd have brought you one, but it's too early to sneak you coffee and food yet," Ruby said to Emma without taking her eyes from a doting Belle and a grinning Henry. Emma's eyes followed hers.

"This is _Treasure Island. _I read it last night while I was waiting for Ruby to come home. I couldn't put it down!" Belle exclaimed in an excited whisper, clearly trying not to wake Regina with her enthusiasm.

"Awesome!" Henry beamed and then handed the book back to her, his attention turning to his breakfast. "Will you read it to me while I eat?" He vibrated with energy, and the two women observing the interaction knew that Belle never even considered disappointing the boy.

"Of course!" Emma smiled and then turned her eyes back to Ruby. Something dark glinted in Ruby's eyes, bad news always showed in the eyes. Emma decided to wait until Regina awoke, and apparently, Ruby had too.

She felt compelled to say something but remained silent, knowing if she spoke to anyone but Regina then she'd be obligated to carry a conversation. She hadn't the energy, so she leaned her head against Regina's and listened to Belle's gentle cadence as she enthralled Henry in yet another story. Ruby closed her eyes and leaned her head back, content to leave Emma to her own thoughts for now. The young waitress seemed lighter, calmer. Every now and then Belle's accent thickened with a particular word, and Ruby smiled widely before hiding behind her coffee cup, eyes never opening.

This was the scene Regina awoke to find surrounding her. No one noticed her opened eyes, so she took a moment to revel in the warmth of Emma's body pressed into her front. Her hand still held Emma's tightly, but she'd moved during the night and now leaned her head heavily into the sheriff's strong shoulder. Her throat stung suddenly at the love and companionship in this tiny dim room, realizing that she'd brought all of these people together in one way or another.

She squeezed Emma's hand unconsciously as the emotion grew. Emma turned her head slightly, catching her eyes but indicating nothing to the others that she'd awoken. One tear rolled down her cheek when Emma pressed her lips to her forehead and left them there, content to hold her a while longer. Unfortunately, her bladder only granted her a few minutes of Emma's embrace before forcing her to move.

Ruby cracked her eyes lazily at the movement and then settled into the chair again.

"Brought you coffee, Grouchy Pants," she pointed one thin finger towards the floor and then closed her eyes again. Belle narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend, and then offered Regina a hesitant smile.

"We also brought breakfast if you're hungry," she finished and then returned her eyes to the book silently.

"Thank you," Regina said in a deep, raspy voice thick with sleep. She sat up slowly, muscles protesting. Emma's hand flew to her shoulder when she hissed in pain. The uncomfortable position was worth every second in exchange for the restful sleep she'd had, so she waved in dismissal of everyone's concern. She felt fantastic in spite of her sore body.

"You certainly leave your mark on a girl," she quipped with an eyebrow raised in Belle's direction. Belle's ears turned red and Ruby choked on coffee. Regina nodded in satisfaction that her comment had hit its mark and then disappeared into the bathroom.

She immediately moved to Henry when she returned and kissed his forehead. He smiled at her weakly and then dropped his eyes to half-eaten pancakes and picked at them absently with the plastic fork. Her eyes narrowed at the reaction and then glanced between the other three women in the room who shrugged. Henry had been fine a moment ago.

"Henry, is something the matter?" Regina asked, ignoring her angry knee as she knelt in front of her son.

"I guess not," he replied and then propped his head on his hand beside his breakfast on the side table.

"Henry," Regina tried again and touched his shoulder. He slapped her hand away and stood, knocking her over onto her butt in the process.

Ruby stood but stayed in place. Regina stared up at her son in confusion and hurt. Belle looked as though she couldn't decide if she wanted to help Regina off the floor or comfort Henry, so she stayed still and clenched the book in her lap.

"You are ruining everything!" He squawked, his pre-adolescent voice cracking. "Belle is supposed to love the beast, and The Savior is supposed to defeat The Evil Queen. But you're tricking her. I heard what you said to her last night. I saw you kiss her. She can't even fight back right now, and you're taking advantage of her! She's vulnerable and you keep telling her that you love her even though you don't. That's what The Evil Queen would do. I thought you'd changed, but you're still the same. You're evil!" His emotions overcame him, and he bolted from the room.

Ruby and Regina both moved together towards the door, but Belle stepped in front of them and held up her hands.

"Let me talk to him," she pleaded with the overprotective women. Ruby immediately conceded and stepped back, waiting for Regina's response.

"I suppose he doesn't want to see me right now. I think it would be wise if you calmed him," Regina clipped reluctantly. Belle nodded and then sort of ran after Henry in her heels. Her short blue dress bounced with the movement, and Regina smacked Ruby's shoulder when she caught the wolf staring.

"You have no idea," Ruby muttered and then reclaimed the chair beside Emma. Regina raised an eyebrow at the off-color comment but too upset about Henry to press her further about their sexcapade yesterday.

Emma's wide eyes begged Regina to say something, save her from her silence. Regina sighed and sat on the cot. Emma's hand immediately sought hers. With the cat out of the bag already, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Emma's. Ruby twitched and then averted her eyes.

"I do love you, Em," Regina reassured as she tucked blonde hair behind an ear. "He doesn't understand, but he will one day," Regina hoped she hadn't just made a false promise. They both knew that if Regina chose between Emma and Henry that the adult orphan would be abandoned again no matter how much she was loved.

Ruby cleared her throat, drawing their attention. "I have to tell you guys something," she started nervously and wiped her hands on her black slacks.

"I found Spencer last night. He had the portal hat. It's gone. He burned it, and told me to pass on a message to you. Basically, that he destroyed any chance of Snow and David returning, and if given the chance, he'd kill Emma, too," Ruby relayed the information quickly. Her face fell when tears filled Emma's eyes.

Regina saw them, too, and then they were gone. The deep, vacant stare that Emma had during the first two days she'd been awake returned. She retreated into her mind, and there wasn't anything Regina or Ruby could have done that would have stopped it. Her fingers lost their grip on Regina's hand, but the dark woman held her tightly, not willing to simply allow it to happen.

"Emma, we'll find another way," Regina vowed as she stood and brushed her free hand over Emma's hair. "We'll find another way, Emma."

Ruby was on her feet and out the door yelling for help when a scream tore from Emma's throat. She thrashed and tore at her IV, Regina's hands, anything within her reach. Ruby returned to the other side of the bed and forced Emma's hands into the mattress. She felt a little sick restraining Emma in this way, but she was on her way to hurting one of them or herself. She fought Ruby, tears streaming down her face, but she was no match for the wolf.

"Page Zambrano," Lauren yelled as she sprinted into the room, syringe in hand. She nodded to Ruby as if asking the wolf if she was restrained completely, and then stuck the needle into Emma's arm.

Almost immediately, the sheriff calmed under the influence of the chemicals. Lauren shoved it into the sharps container and then returned to Emma's side.

"Miss Swan, I'm going to check your incisions. It won't take long unless you've torn something loose," Lauren explained her actions to Emma, even though the green eyes unfocused and crossed much like the first night she'd awoken.

"What the hell happened?" Nurse Danes fixed Ruby with a glare and then turned it to Regina.

"She found out the only portal on this side had been destroyed last night," Ruby gritted out and then caught Regina's eyes, intentionally leaving out the bit about Regina potentially having to choose between the woman she loved and their son. One hand brushed sweaty blonde hair gently and the other held Emma's, but her eyes were on Regina's.

Regina stood frozen, unable to process the giant leap backwards Emma had taken. She should never have allowed Ruby to tell her about the hat. Her breath sounded loud in her ears. She swayed as everything slowed down, darkened around the edges. Love is weakness, her mother's voice flashed through her mind, and she wavered on her feet.

"Regina!" Ruby's voice cut through her haze, and everything sped up once more as the different sounds of the room crashed into her.

She pulled her body forward, taking her place at Emma's side. Ruby stepped back, hovering just out of sight with a hand on her waist. Regina almost yelled about the unwanted contact but realized that Ruby was prepared to catch her if she fainted. She grabbed Emma's hand as Lauren pulled the hospital gown up. Little red stains already seeped through it, so Regina knew that she'd injured something, but she forced her eyes to look anyway.

A dark purple bruise quickly spread over Emma's lower stomach near the incision above her belly button. Lauren gently pressed a gauze pad over the blood from the incision. The blood atop the skin was superficial, coming only from a small tear in Emma's otherwise healed flesh. She'd have had her stitches out soon if not for this.

"Fuck this!" Lauren said in frustration. "Call Zambrano and tell her to meet us in the O.R. She's got internal bleeding, and it looks bad. We'll have her prepped by the time she gets here." She stomped the brake release and pulled the bed forward, kicking anything in her way. The cot skittered and then slammed into the wall. And then they were gone.

Ruby caught Regina about the waist and held her upright when she wavered as her hand slipped from Emma's. Regina turned into Ruby and pressed her face into shoulder without hesitation. They'd moved far beyond the pretense that they cared nothing for each other and openly expressed their affection despite the prying eyes of the hospital staff and family members of other patients.

Ruby wrapped her strong arms around Regina's quaking back and shoulders and held her tightly. "She'll be okay, Regina." It was more than needed to be said. Regina never responded to optimistic platitudes anyway, but Ruby's warm body and loving arms held her together as she fell apart.

That's how Belle and Henry found them when they returned hand in hand. Belle took a moment and allowed the situation to wash over her and accept it. She squeezed Henry's hand tightly and pulled him forward, hating herself for what she was about to say.

"Ruby, Leroy just called. I'm sorry. I was playing with your phone and stuck it in my pocket earlier. The diamonds have disappeared from the mines, and there is something magical happening in the woods, a green glow." Belle explained.

"It's the glow of Fairy Magic," Regina said as she wiped her eyes and pulled away from Ruby. "It's Gold, I'm sure of it."

"What would Gold need with Fairy Magic? Doesn't he have enough of his own?" Ruby asked her, clearly torn between staying at her side and running to Belle's. Regina helped her decide when she moved to her son's side and slipped an arm around his shoulders. Ruby relaxed visibly when she touched Belle's arm.

"Fairy Magic is generally good magic, but it is volatile. If he were trying to close a portal, the protective nature of Fairy Magic would be most effective," Regina explained to her less magically inclined crew.

"Mom! Snow White and Prince Charming. They're going to come through the portal. We have to get there! We have to save them!" Henry jerked on her hand, but she held fast.

"Henry, if there is in fact a portal open, it isn't going to be David and Mary Margaret. Cora is ruthless, and there is no way they could have defeated her. Gold is ensuring Cora will not reach this land." Regina spoke to her son but also met Ruby and Belle's eyes.

Belle looked confused, but Ruby almost agreed with her about the likelihood of Snow and Charming's success. A glimmer of hope sparkled, though.

"No!" Henry pushed at her hips. "You never believe me! You want me to believe that you're good, then be good. Have faith in me, Mom! What about Emma? She'll never know if it was her parents or yours that you killed!"

The boy's chest heaved up and down with emotion. Regina stared at him for a long time, trying to reconcile the son she raised with this budding hero. She glanced between Belle and Ruby and then disappeared.

When she reappeared, she stepped quickly towards Gold and the portal. She flung her magic at him, but he deflected it easily. His eyebrow raised in amusement as he twitched his fingers and sent her flying into the tree near the well. This morning had started so perfectly, she thought sardonically and then pushed back.

"Can't let you do that, Regina," Gold chided his former student. "Still letting your heart rule your head, I see." He sniffed and nonchalantly turned to watch the swirling green vortex of power that he'd created.

"You intend to kill whoever comes through, don't you?" Regina confirmed as she pushed against his magic. She was weak and out of practice and cursed her inefficiency.

"It's going to be Cora. You and I both know that will end badly for everyone, us especially. Consider this my way of taking care of the situation even though you were too weak to make the deal," he taunted, and Regina let his words build her anger. He wasn't stronger than she was. She only needed to tap into that dark place she'd locked away since falling in love with Emma.

"Hey!" A shout startled both of them. Ruby blazed through the woods, absent one red cloak. She moved gracefully, allowing her wolf strength and speed to propel her forward.

"Let her go!" She demanded as she skidded to a stop barely out of breath.

Gold flung his wrist, and she flew several feet and hit the ground unconscious. Regina knew that she was fine, but watching her former mentor harm someone she'd come to care deeply for pushed her anger over the edge. She broke free from his grip just like she had from her mother's on her wedding day and sent him flying away from the well as she dropped to the ground.

Her knee screamed, and she fell to the soft dirt for a moment, breathing through the pain. Belle and Henry's call were heard in the distance. Using her son's safety as inspiration, she pulled herself up and hobbled to the well despite the pain. She gritted her teeth and took a steadying breath, knowing the pain in her knee would be nothing compared to absorbing this amount of Fairy Magic. She did it anyway.

Electricity tore through her hands and then her whole body as she sucked the magic into her vessel. It warred with her Dark Magic, each seeking dominance in the singular vessel that had been created to hold only one. Every nerve ending exploded beneath the harsh burn of Fairy Magic. There was a reason Fairies used dust rather than absorbing the magic into themselves. It hurt like a bitch and was nearly impossible to control in these concentrated doses. In reality, it lasted only thirty seconds, but Regina felt the pain of several life times by the time she fell limp against the tree again.

Belle knelt by Ruby, and Henry stood between her and the well, looking expectantly. Her vision swam and her head throbbed. The magic she'd just absorbed beat against her mind, trying to escape, trying to take control of her. She flung some of it towards Ruby, and the girl woke immediately. The action alleviated the pressure for a few blissful seconds, but the urge built almost as quickly as it dissipated. How much had she absorbed?

She whimpered and waited. If Cora came through that portal, she'd blast her mother to hell with the magic itching to be freed. Henry's hopeful face slowly fell, and she wished that she had the ability to move, to hug her grieving son. He wanted so desperately to believe good always won, but she hadn't the heart to tell him all of the reasons why she knew it didn't.

"Henry, I'm sorry," she whispered, thickly. Her voice sounded nothing like her own in her magic-filled ears. She pressed her back harder into the bark of the tree, finding relief in the physical pain it caused.

"No," Henry whispered, and Regina hoped that he didn't blame her or yell at her until she released the foreign magic into the world.

Gold succeeded. Whoever had come through that portal had been killed. Gold. She flung her hand towards the man just getting to his feet and held him in the air with a bright green glow. Relief immediately exhausted her shaking muscles as the magic left her body. He wasn't injured, but immobilized. His glare amused her, and then his eyes flicked to Belle and Ruby. They weren't actually doing anything untoward in front of the man, but anyone with vision saw the gentleness in Belle's eyes as she brushed her knuckles over Ruby's face.

Regina sighed when the magic ran out and dropped her teacher to the ground without warning. She might have lowered him gently if she wasn't so pissed at him for making her absorb Fairy Magic in the first place.

"Mom!" Henry squalled and ran to the well. Two hands slapped onto the surface, hauling a body over the side of the well.

Regina pulled her hands up, magic at the ready, but only gasped when David's lithe body tumbled over the side followed by Mary Margaret's. Henry flew into their arms, and they shared a three-way hug. Yippee, Regina thought as she struggled to her feet. Ruby ran into Snow's arms happily, and Regina's heart clenched as she pressed her back into the tree, allowing it to support her weight. The idiots had returned, and now she'd lose everything.

Gold glared at her. He, too, stood apart from the reunion. His eyes flicked to Belle who was being introduced to Snow and David and then back to hers. He realized that Belle had let him go, and he blamed her. Let him, she thought and then rolled her eyes. He wasn't worth the effort right now, no matter how satisfying it was to know that she'd just beaten him.

"Mom saved you!" Henry's voice cut through her revelry. "She took all of the Fairy Magic into her body, like this…" He demonstrated her stance with spread arms and hanging head. He added a few body quakes for good measure, not realizing that she'd basically been electrocuted.

"Thank you," Snow said quietly and hugged Henry again. "Where's Emma?" She glanced around, clearly expecting her adult daughter to appear from behind a tree.

Belle and Ruby glanced at each other and then Regina. Henry answered. "Emma got shot saving Mom. She's in the hospital," Henry offered when no one else spoke.

"She what?" David finally spoke. "Why would she do that?" His righteous anger flared, and Regina rolled her eyes.

"Perhaps she wanted a chance to kiss me again," Regina snipped. She knew the Charmings wouldn't believe for a second that Emma had fallen for her, and they'd feel like fools again when Emma finally confirmed the truth.

She fell against the tree again when David's fist connected with her mouth, reopening the cut from Ruby that had begun healing. She grunted when her back hit the tree, eyes unfocused for a moment.

"Don't!" Ruby's angry voice cut into her haze, and she squinted her eyes into focus to find the wolf with flaring angry yellow and firmly gripping David's throat. Snow hugged Henry tightly, watching the unlikely scene. Belle looked at Ruby with glazed eyes, and Regina wondered for a moment just how wild the young librarian actually was if seeing Ruby angry turned her on that quickly.

"Red, what are you doing?" Snow implored in her sickly sweet voice.

"It's Ruby for starters," the deputy demanded and then released David's throat. He rubbed the area, more in shock than pain. "And a lot of shit has gone down since you two decided to go gallivanting off in The Enchanted Forest." She unconsciously retreated to Belle's waiting hands, emphasizing her point without meaning to.

"Regina helped keep this town from blowing apart. She saved my life. She saved Emma's life, so you could at least give her the benefit of the doubt until you figure out what's happened," Ruby finished with much less ire, eyes returning to their chocolate-y hue now that Belle's arms circled her hips.

Snow's eyes flicked between Belle's hands laced tightly together on her best friend's hip bone to Ruby's arm wrapped confidently around her shoulders and then to Ruby's eyes. Finally, they settled on Regina, realizing that she'd done nothing in retaliation against David's unprompted attack. Her forehead bunched for a moment, and then she touched her husband's shoulder.

"Let's go to the hospital, Charming. We don't have to figure anything out right this second," Snow ordered the man, and he conceded. They left without further commentary, Henry happily squished between them. Regina allowed it for now, knowing her son needed physical confirmation that his grandparents hadn't died during their journey.

"That's a hell of a way to mark your territory, Witch," Ruby barbed her lightly, bringing her back from the anger that surely swelled in her chest.

Regina sneered, touched her fingers to her lip, studied the red on them. "And yet more stately than peeing everywhere. Promise to never tell me about your sex life," Regina deadpanned and tried to breeze past them indignantly, but she faltered.

Ruby caught her bicep and steadied her just before she face-planted into the ground without ever losing her grip on Belle. Her vision darkened at the edges and then cleared. Ruby said nothing and made no show of slipping her arm beneath Regina's shoulders. She just did it, and Regina slumped into the wolf gratefully, fisting the back of her tanned shirt for leverage. Her head jerked sharply sending another wave of dizziness over her eyes when Belle's hand covered hers. The librarian smiled at her over Ruby's chest and then dropped them to the ground to carefully watch her path. Nothing else was said all the way to Ruby's cruiser at the edge of the forest.

When they reached Emma's room, David stood guard by the door, waving off adoring fans. Regina rolled her eyes and pushed forward without any aid, unwilling to let the idiots see her weakness. He allowed Ruby and Belle to slip by easily but held a hand up when she tried to walk past him. She stared up at him with angry eyes, hoping they weren't flashing violet.

"Emma is no longer your concern. We'll take it from here," David explained proudly, believing himself a good father.

"Do not presume to tell me what is and is not my concern, dog catcher. Shut the damn curtains!" She yelled at Snow when the light streamed across Emma's bed. She'd returned in the hour they were gone, so apparently the fix had taken very little time, which meant it wasn't as serious as they anticipated.

"Regina, go home," Ruby said from behind the prince. "David, give us a minute," she ordered and shoved the prince inside the room before he summoned a response.

"I'll talk to them and so will Emma when she wakes up. Until then, go home. I'll call you. You look like hell, and I'm pretty sure you haven't showered since Emma woke up the first time," she shoved the keys to Mills' mansion into Regina's hand. She'd forgotten that she'd given them to Ruby.

"Emma doesn't want to speak to anyone. Ruby please," Regina begged, and Ruby's face fell, knowing that no power on this earth would keep her from Belle if she were injured. Regina cleared her throat. "Shut the curtains. She hates the bright morning light," she finished pathetically.

"I will," Ruby promised, touched her shoulder and then returned to the full hospital room.

"Miss Regina," a small voice called from behind her. She turned to find Lauren wringing her hands nervously.

"Emma's okay. She pulled some stitches in her abdominal muscles, so it wasn't quite as bad as we thought. It was just really close to the surface of the skin, which is why it bruised so quickly. Eva… Dr. Zambrano fixed it. It should only set her recovery back a few days," the girl informed her of Emma's condition anxiously, eyes flicking back and forth between her hands and Emma's room.

"Thank you, Nurse Danes," Regina said graciously, not even bothering to hide her emotions. It would have done no good anyway.

Everyone on this floor already knew how she felt about Snow and Charming's daughter. The nurse nodded and then scampered off, not willing to be caught conversing with The Evil Queen now that their prince and princess had returned and clearly still shunned the woman. Regina sighed. Two steps forward, three steps back. She waved her hands over her head and poofed in the purple smoke.

She reappeared in her bathroom as per Ruby's instructions. She wasn't used to following commands, but she knew the young woman to be correct. She ached everywhere and probably smelled, too. She stripped her clothes slowly and set her phone on the floor next to the huge square, marble tub before adjusting the water to temperature. She avoided the mirror intentionally, not wanting to see the grief in her eyes.

She stepped in painfully, her knee aching far worst without the brace, plugged the drain hole and then switched the flow of water to the shower head. The hot pressurized water beat against her skin deliciously, soothing the soreness in her muscles, but the relief lived only a brief moment.

Here, in the silence and safety of her ivory tower, she allowed herself to feel everything. She'd saved Emma's parents at the risk of losing Emma and the tentative acceptance of the town she'd gained in their absence. It was the right thing to do, but that fact made it hurt more, not less. Every time she tried to be better, it blew up in her face. Perhaps this was the reason all heroes came with a self-righteous narcissism. They believed everything they did was the best choice because everyone had an opinion and eventually wore away their confidence with criticism.

She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in them and let go. Here, she had this luxury. No one judged her. No one burdened her with their opinions. Here, no one heard her haunted and hollow wailing for the love that may have once again slipped from her grasp.


	18. I Won't Let You Down

Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: What Do You Want From Me By P!nk, Keep on Tryin' by Poco, Still by Daughter

* * *

The water cooled around Regina and reluctantly she pulled the plug and hoisted her rubbery limbs over the side. Ruby hadn't called, but she had not actually expected one too soon, not until Emma woke up at least. She grabbed a towel and dried her right leg and slipped into the brace. The last thing she wanted to do was prolong her injury by refusing a simple thing like wearing a brace. Emma needed her.

She snagged her phone and toweled herself lightly as she hobbled to her bedroom. Her bed sang to her, and she gave into the siren's call. The bath had helped, but her system took an incredible shock by absorbing the magic. Her hands shook and her vision swam if she moved too quickly, but at least her aching muscles quieted for the time being. She set her phone on the side table and then gave herself over to her luxurious memory foam mattress. She vowed not to close her eyes, instead stared at the phone and willed it to ring.

When it refused her command, she pulled herself from the bed and gimped to the closet. It was only around noon, so she chose a silk royal blue button up and black slacks and then returned to the bathroom to fix her make up and style her hair. Dark purple fingers gripped her neck, Ruby's fingers. A split stuck out prominently from her lower lip near the corner of her mouth emphasized by a dark purple bruise. She winced as she unbuttoned the shirt and let it fall over her shoulders turning to see both front and back. Purple and green spots peppered her ribs and shoulders. She really should have had an X-Ray.

She fixed the shirt and ignored the injuries. She ignored her appearance and slipped into the boots she'd left on the ceramic tile earlier, deciding to go back to the hospital and wait until Emma woke up. She had nothing better to do. A tap resonated through the house when she reached the top of the stairs, and she poofed to the door, wanting the intruder to leave as soon as possible.

"Belle?" She questioned as the young woman's dress billowed with the force of the door sucking hair towards it.

"Emma wanted to give you a message. I'm not sure what it means, but she slipped this to Ruby. She didn't want to leave Emma, so she sent me to Mary Margaret's apartment. Thank goodness, she taught me what an Ipod was a few days ago," Belle laughed at herself as she handed the device to Regina.

Regina stared at the music player for a moment and then fixed Belle with a questioning look.

"Oh! Here, this is the message," she mumbled and hand Regina a piece of paper.

"Would you like to come in, Miss French? I was about to make coffee," Regina offered and stepped aside. Belle fidgeted for a moment and then slipped inside the massive house.

"I'll make it," she offered nervously and then retreated to the kitchen before Regina protested.

The former royal squinted at her back for a moment and then moved to the living room. She gave her body to her leather sofa and scrolled through the music until she came to the song Emma indicated. She thought it the oddest mode of communication she'd ever experienced, but this was Emma Swan, she reminded herself.

Regina wrinkled her nose at the gravelly voice of the female rock star, waiting for the message. She nearly turned the racket off but then the chorus played, and she froze.

"Just don't give up. I'm working it out. Please don't give in, I won't let you down. It messed me up, need a second to breathe. Just keep coming around. Hey, what do you want from me?"

The song was so silly that she nearly laughed, but the words were true and essentially repeated what she'd said to Emma every night she'd been awake. That it was okay to take a minute and breathe and be taken care of without fear of judgment. It ended too quickly, and Regina punched the back button, playing it again. Emma was telling her to hold on, to keep trying, to keep loving her. Tears burned her throat, and she covered her face with her hands as the song played through once more time.

A cup of coffee magically appeared while she was listening, but Belle hadn't stayed in the room. She replayed the song again and then leaned back with her coffee.

"It's plain to see that, Baby, you're beautiful and there's nothing wrong with you. It's me. I'm a freak, but thanks for loving me 'cause you're doing it perfectly. Yeah, there might've been a time when I would let you slip away. I wouldn't even try, but I think you could save my life."

Tears flowed freely again. She let them. Emma had given her the most beautiful message possible. It wasn't hopeful or fluffy but an honest representation of everything they'd gon through and revealed over the past few weeks. Emma needed time and love. It wasn't her fault that Emma had pulled away, and she wanted her to keep visited, keep loving and supporting.

"She asked for you… when she woke up. She hasn't said a word since except that note she gave Ruby," Belle leaned casually against the door frame and sipped her coffee. "Do you need any cream or sugar?"

Regina shook her head. "Are you ready to go?" Belle asked as if she intended to collect the former mayor the entire time. "I have you a thermos ready to take with you. I think those might be my favorite modern-day inventions. How wonderful to transport hot tea or coffee wherever you go!" Belle smiled naively, ears burning at her babbling. Regina couldn't stop her smile.

"Wait until you try Ibuprofen," Regina smirked.

"What is that?" Belle asked, wonder in her eyes.

"A pill. You take it and 20 to 30 minutes later, your pain is gone. Tell Ruby to buy you a bottle in preparation for the next full moon," Regina tossed at the girl as she passed on her way to the kitchen.

Ruby sucked in a breath to respond, ask why she'd need it for the full moon, but her mouth hung comically as her eyes widened. Red heat crawled up her chest and neck in embarrassment.

"Just how much did Ruby tell you?" She tossed at Regina's back as she finally turned and followed her to the kitchen. Regina sighed and debated on whether she should put the girl out of her misery or let her squirm. Belle's eyes were wide with fear and uncertainty, and Regina melted. She leaned across the island, not quite touching Belle's hand, and seriously studied those big blue eyes.

"That she was incredibly satisfied, but she didn't tell me. I deduced," Regina replied earnestly, setting the inexperienced woman's mind at ease. Belle blushed deeper if that was possible and dropped her eyes to the floor.

"Thank you," she uttered.

"For what, Dear Girl?" Regina straightened, genuinely confused.

"For being honest with me and not poking fun like you do Ruby. She's had so many… experiences, and I've had… well…" Belle stuttered, remembering exactly to whom she spoke.

"Me," Regina finished bitterly. Belle nodded shamefully, clearly not comfortable discussing her sexual abuse with her abuser.

"You're not her, Regina. I know that now, but what The Evil Queen did ruined me for a long time. Rumpel refused to touch me when I came back to him, not even innocently. He hugged me once the first day I came to him in his shop. When the curse broke and I remembered everything, I confided in him about _it_." Belle faltered a moment and then took a deep, settling breath. As if this was something that she needed to say but hadn't actually wanted to. Regina waited, knowing one misstep would have destroyed the moment forever.

"It only put a bigger gap between us, and I was so angry at you…her. I was angry at _her_ for such a long time. I wanted to kill her. I wanted to die when Rumpel rejected me over and over. I'm 26 years old, and the only touched I'd ever felt was hers. Even hers, yours was… gentle? You didn't brutalize me, but she… she took something that damaged me emotionally.

"Even then, you fought the darkness. You could have hurt me badly any way you wanted. You had the power, but you didn't let her. You let me enjoy it until she took over, telling you…" Belle shook her head and wrung her hands.

"I'm sorry, Regina. I'm not sure what point I was making. I'm not even sure why I'm talking about this," Belle retreated into herself.

"I think perhaps you're trying to reconcile what happened between us with what happened between you and Ruby," Regina offered cautiously. Belle thought for a moment and then slowly nodded as she met Regina's eyes.

"Belle," Regina touched her hand across the counter, and both women froze. Blue eyes widened, and after a tense second, Belle's thumb brushed along Regina's, accepting the small comfort.

"It's not the same thing. I promise you that for whatever my word might mean. You and Ruby… it's what most people dream of. It's what I dream of. She's not going to turn on you. Belle, I think you need to ask her, talk to her about this.

"Better yet," Regina leaned forward conspiratorially, "wait until you are alone. Sit her down, sit on her lap in a suggestive manner, and then watch her eyes. Wolf's time can be confusing, but that's not why she made love to you. Her eyes will tell you the truth if you still have doubts. She'll swallow in disbelief as her eyes trace every inch of you. That will tell you the truth."

"Thank you," Belle whispered, a faint rouge tingeing her cheeks as she thought about the scene Regina painted, the one that so closely reflected what had actually happened. "I don't really have friends or parents to talk to about anything, just Ruby."

"You can talk to me whenever you wish," Regina offered sincerely, and she surprised even herself when she realized that she meant it. The librarian's quiet determination and strength had endeared her to Regina. Not to mention, she absolutely adored Henry, and her son adored and trusted her.

"I… I'd like that one day, but… I," Belle blew a frustrated sigh into the air as she collected her thoughts. "I'm not ready yet," she finished, hoping Regina understood.

"When you are," Regina left the statement open and filled her thermos with the rest of the coffee in the pot, capped it and then faced Belle again.

"Ready?" Belle nodded and bolted towards the front door, thankful for something to do. "Let's go get my girl," Regina muttered, though she knew Belle was no longer in earshot.

Regina drove them swiftly through the streets in her Mercedes. When Regina strode confidently through the front doors with a slight buoyancy to her movement, people stared but no one cowered. She appeared on a mission, sure, but not threatening. Belle struggled with the pace but managed to tap into her princess upbringing and regally follow the brewing former queen in her high heels.

David stood and drew his sword as she breezed into Emma's room. She ignored him and Snow and Henry. Ruby's face softened when she realized what had happened. Somehow Emma had given her the strength to come back. Regina paused long enough to feel the tension in the air and then her brown eyes met the green ones staring up at her like a savior.

"Regina, this is highly inappropriate," Snow scolded her step-mother.

Regina ignored her and brushed past her until she stood at Emma's bedside. The injured woman stared up at her, mouth part slightly. Regina leaned over, hands on either side of Emma's head, and simply allowed her savior the chance to study her eyes.

"I want your heart, Emma Swan," she stated clearly in a deep, strong voice that resembled nothing of a whisper, nothing she wished to hide from theirs friends, Emma's parents, or their son.

Emma floundered for a moment, shock by the conviction in Regina's eyes, the desire. She wanted to gauge the reaction of Snow and David, but Regina's equally intense and vulnerable eyes held her attention. Had this woman truly failed to see her reality?

"It's already yours, you fool," Emma answered in a similarly confidently vulnerable voice.

Emma touched her cheeks carefully, afraid this moment wasn't real, a figment of her chemically induced imagination. Regina felt real, tangible. She released a held breath at the realization and then pulled Regina's lips into hers. Regina smiled into the kiss, nearly losing her hold on the bed as the reality of what they'd just done crashed into her. They pulled back smiling, unable to break eye contact.

"No," Snow whispered, her voice an octave higher than usual. "No," she stated more firmly. "Emma, what has she done to you? What did you do to her?" The women ignored Snow's desperate questions.

Emma's eyes widened when the tip of her father's sword pressed against Regina's neck. Regina sneered.

"Unless you'd like me to break your toy, I suggest you move it," she threatened. Surely, no one would have judged her use of magic for this purpose. Charming faltered.

"Mary Margaret, David, everyone…" Emma started. "Please, leave. I need a minute to talk to Regina. Kid," she turned her eyes to her son who watched the scene with wide eyes.

"Do you want to stay with Mary Margaret and David tonight?" She asked. "They'll bring you back in the morning, and I promise that we will talk about this, but right now we need to figure out what this is." Emma gestured between her and Regina. It was the most she'd spoken since being shot, and her voice scratched with the lack of use.

Regina simply stood back and watched as the beautiful woman she'd fallen in love with returned to her and took control of the situation.

"I'd rather stay with Belle," Henry said quietly, his eyes flicking towards the librarian and then back to his hands. "She explains stuff better than you," he admitted to Emma.

Belle turned hopeful eyes to her girlfriend. Ruby nodded, immediately giving into Belle's whim to spend time with the boy. Belle smiled brightly and turned back to Emma and Regina.

"I'd be happy to have him if it's alright with you and Regina. Ruby says that we are trying a food called pizza tonight. She's promised that it's delicious and life-altering. I, umm, if it's okay with Ruby and Henry, I don't mind if you and David come," she graciously offered the flustered princess.

"Sure! We could call the dwarves and Archie and have a welcome back party at the diner tonight. What do you say, Kiddo?" Ruby supplied hopefully. If anything distracted Snow and David from what they'd just witnessed, it was there grandson's excited determination when he got an idea in his head.

"I'd love to spend time with my grandson," Snow hesitantly looked at David, pleading with her eyes for him to agree. They clearly upset Emma by shunning Regina, and she wanted desperately to rectify that. Everything else would be dealt with as it unfolded. They had indeed missed as much as Ruby said.

"I'm not leaving my daughter alone with her," David stubbornly crossed his arms.

"God what I wouldn't give for a curse of silence," Regina sniped, and Emma smirked.

"Emma, you can't be serious!" David flustered dramatically, waving his free hand nonsensically.

"I seriously can't believe you married that," Regina pushed the knife deeper, rolling her eyes at the indignity in the prince's action. "Your shepherd is showing, dog catcher."

"Regina," Emma warned, her voice light with laughter. "Please."

Regina huffed and crossed her arms. Ruby silently shook with laughter because she knew Regina's sass was only warming up. It'd been a while since she'd had someone to properly insult. Snow touched her husband's arm, a lightness even in her eyes.

"That was pretty undignified, Honey," she conceded and then tugged on his arm. "We'll get through it together. Just let it run its course," she whispered. David visibly backed down.

"Please Gramps! We should celebrate. I can show my new book. Belle gave it to me. She knows, like, everything!" Henry's heart soared at the potential party for his heroes. David took one look at his grandson and deflated.

"We'll be back in the morning," he vowed.

"Ta Ta," Regina taunted and held her hand at face height, only her fingers moving up and down.

"Henry, don't forget the book I brought you. We'll read some more of it tonight," Belle instructed and then held out her arm to the boy. He brightened at the mention of his new story and snuggled into Belle's hip. Charmer.

Regina ushered them all out the door, and Ruby turned back for a moment.

"You did good, Witch. Very regal hissy fit. You should be proud of it," Ruby joked, offering Regina support in her odd way.

"Better to focus on your own princess, Wolf Pup. She needs you, and I mean that in the dirtiest way possible," Regina eluded to their earlier conversation without giving away too much of Belle's trust.

"What do you mean?" Ruby scrunched her brow and shoved her hands into her black slacks.

"Just… make love to her tonight," Regina ordered and then closed the door.

She leaned against it for a moment, not nearly as confident as she'd pretended. The whine of the electric bed caught her attention, and she whirled on Emma. The blonde smiled and then jerked her head, beckoning her with the crude gesture. She complied with slow steps, stopping half a foot from the bed.

"Regina?" Emma questioned, now unsure if Regina had actually wanted her or simply to piss off her parents.

"Em, I'm…" The words she'd spoken to Belle rang through her mind. Read the truth in her eyes. Gingerly, Regina set her left knee on the bed and then swung the right one over Emma's thighs, carefully keeping an eye on Emma's injured torso. Lauren had been right when she'd said that Emma really wouldn't be set back at all by the minor surgery.

"Are you okay?" She asked before lowering her weight onto Emma's thighs and received a nod.

Emma's eyes moved from their joined legs, traveling slowly up Regina's body and settled on her eyes. She swallowed, her throat tight, unsure what Regina expected.

"It's in her eyes," Regina whispered and brushed her thumbs over Emma's cheeks.

"You've lost your mind, haven't you?" Emma asked, only half-joking.

"Yes," she answered breathily and then lowered her lips to Emma's.

It was chaste at first, a tentative exploration, until Emma's hands slid up her thighs. She gripped her hips, tugging slightly, desperately wanting contact that she couldn't have because of her healing body. Regina's tongue traced her lower lip, followed by her teeth. Emma moaned and pressed up into the dark woman's lips. She hadn't a clue what happened that led them to this point, but she knew that she wanted Regina.

Emma pulled back, collapsing against the bed, when the muscles in her stomach clenched. Regina barely caught herself on the bed before she fell on top of her. Emma winced, fingers digging painfully into Regina's skin. The older woman bit the inside of her jaw and forced her hips into submission when they threatened to roll against the rough handling of her flesh and the delicious tingle it inspired between her thighs.

"Are you okay?" She rasped, making the decision to focus on Emma instead of her own arousal.

"Yeah. You should…"

"Yes, I should," Regina responded and then pulled herself from the bed, only to immediately return and sit at Emma's side.

"That wasn't talking," Emma stated needlessly.

"It said more than we ever could," Regina countered reverently.

Emma blinked rapidly as the truth of that statement settled into her chest. Regina smiled, the vein in her forehead making an appearance.

At the dock, Cora watched the scene with her hand-held looking glass. Her smirk grew and her eyes met Hook's. He sighed and crossed his arms.

"You were wrong, Love. She has everything," he commented, wondering if the tall woman with the red streak in her hair was available. It'd been 28 years since his last romp.

"How easily it all crumbles," Cora countered cryptically. Her deep chuckled turned into a laugh, and a coldness slipped up Hook's spine.

Even as a pirate, Hook prayed that Regina ran for her life.


	19. Hands

Hello Sweet Doves! Thank you so very much for all of your wonderful reviews and follows.

I am prepared for the outrage, but it had to be. On that note, enjoy and leave me some hate!

Songs: Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus

* * *

Regina glared up at the intrusive knock that sounded on Emma's hospital door. Her nurse had been in not ten minutes ago, so she knew it wasn't time for another shot. Emma slumbered lightly still so she moved to the door and opened it a crack.

"Can I help you?" It was a boy no more than 17 with a red shirt and ball cap that read _Darren's. _

"Yeah, I have a pizza for… umm… Mayor Tight Pants," the boy mumbled, clearly embarrassed now that he knew to whom he was delivering. Regina rolled her eyes.

"If Miss Lucas ordered it, then you have the right room. How much?" The boy waved his hand and shoved the pizza at her.

"Paid for," he mumbled and then scurried down the hall.

Regina set the warm box on the wheeled tray beside Emma's bed and stared at it. She'd never eaten pizza without utensils. She turned on her heel and stomped towards the nurse's station. She leaned over and caught the eye of a giant Amazon in light green scrubs. She had harsh features, dry skin, and frizzy brown hair.

"Excuse me?" Regina started politely.

"Your Majesty!" The woman jumped up and bowed her head, desk chair skittering into the open space behind her.

Regina recognized the straightened spine, the unique positioning of the woman's hand over her chest. She'd been a soldier in her army.

"What was your rank, Soldier?" Regina asked curiously. Had all of her servants received a job at the hospital?

"Calvary Captain, Majesty," the woman clipped efficiently.

"May I call you Captain or do you prefer your curse name?" Regina glanced around nervously when the woman still bowed her head and held that ridiculous pose she'd forced upon all of her troops while in her presence.

"Captain is fine, Highness. I'm proud of who I was," the woman answered. her toned muscles bunched and released, stretching the thin fabric of her scrubs. An anxious tick, Regina decided.

"Fantastic. First, Captain, please call me Regina or Ms. Mills and stop bowing. That isn't our life anymore. Secondly, would you possibly have a plate, fork and knife I might borrow?" She thought she'd enjoy seeing someone bow to her again, but it only left a sour taste in her mouth. She wasn't that person anymore and honestly never wanted to be again.

The tall, stout woman nodded at an aid, clearly dismissing them to the task. The younger girl hopped to the task and flitted down the hallway. Regina grinned, pleased that she'd given one of her military leaders an authority role in this world.

"Thank you, Captain," Regina offered graciously, even though her eyes glanced at the other nurses self-consciously. She only wanted to eat with dignity, not be adored or stared at.

"I see you windin' and grindin' up on that pole. I know you see you me lookin' at you and you already know I wanna fuck you. Fuck you! You already know I wanna fuck you. You already know."

The horrible lyrics and pop music blared from her pocket, and Regina turned away from the nurses' confused and shocked faces. Her ears burned when the lurid chorus began repeating over and over as she struggled with the phone in her tight pocket. Finally, she pulled it out and punched the receiver button.

"Miss Lucas, you've eaten people. Tell me, what does human flank steak taste like?" Regina snarled into the phone, glancing back at the people in the lobby doubled over with silent laughter. It was endearing, and she allowed one small chuckle to slip from her throat. Everyone lost it, and suddenly the room filled with giggles and laughter, smiles and smirks. It was intoxicating.

"Hey Mayor Sassy Britches, do you like your new ring tone?" Silence. "I just wanted to make sure your pizza made it." Ruby said on the other end, clearly not worried about another threat of cannibalism.

"It did as did your lurid obsession with songs about exotic dancers," Regina clipped.

"You're totally eating it with a fork, aren't you? Hands, Regina. It's a finger food," Ruby encouraged.

"Miss Lucas, I will not…"

"Hands!" More than one voice yelled, and she jerked the phone back at the sudden assault on her ear.

"See, Henry and Belle agree with me. Hands, Tight Ass. Loosen your girdle," Ruby used her son against her.

"How is Henry?" She asked, suddenly serious. She and Emma desperately needed to explain everything to him, to ask how he felt about it.

"He's surrounded by more love than a kid knows what to do with, Regina. He'll be fine. I talked to Archie and set up a meeting with him tomorrow. I hope that's okay. Henry agreed as long as Belle could come with him. Shit, sorry, I should have asked first. Is that okay?" Ruby babbled nervously. Regina grinned despite her slight irritation about a decision being made in regards to Henry without her approval. Ruby acted out of love for her son and for her and Emma and in support of their relationship.

"That will be fine, Miss Lucas. You're the kind of aunt I would have wished for my son," Regina said, not really pausing to consider her words. The line went silent, though Regina still heard breathing and the faint rumble of a large group of people.

"Ruby?" She questioned nervously. Had she said something wrong?

"Yeah, I'm here," the wolf's voice was thicker, and Regina's forehead bunched in concern. She recognized that voice from spending almost every waking second with the young woman for nearly a month. It was almost crying but not quite.

"Did you just refer to me as your sister?" Ruby coughed and then cleared her throat.

"From another mister," Regina quipped, hoping she'd said the pop culture phrase properly. Ruby's sharp bark of laughter told her that she had.

"I know. I know, don't be surprised. You got moves," Ruby muttered lightheartedly, but her voice still reflected deeper emotion.

The silence stretched on, both caught in their own thoughts. They loved other people, but there were things they couldn't share with them yet, not in relation to their dark urges. Somehow in the middle of this mess, they'd come to trust each other implicitly. It was one thing to think it and feel it, but hearing the words out loud stirred deep emotions neither were comfortable with yet. They had a true friend, a sister, one who would never leave them. Ruby cleared her throat.

"Okay, well, I'm going to get back to the party. Enjoy your pizza, and give Emma a kiss for me. Uhhh, on the cheek or forehead because otherwise, awkward," Ruby fumbled for the natural lightness in their usual conversations.

"Of course. Take care of my son, Wolf Pup," Regina whispered and then ended the call.

A plate and sealed plastic bag of utensils were shoved into her hand before she turned around. She'd completely forgotten about everyone listening to her conversation with Ruby. Uncomfortable, she returned to Emma's room and shut herself behind the safety of the door. They couldn't possibly have known what Ruby had said, and her end had given next to nothing away, but the softness in her voice and demeanor said enough.

Regina primly cut into the cheesy mess that Ruby called food. She made a mental note to feed Henry something green tomorrow. Another knocked tapped at the door, and she rolled her eyes. If it was a member of the staff or her family, they'd enter on their own. Her irritation dissipated, however, when Dr. Zambrano's head popped around the sturdy wood.

"Dr. Zambrano," Regina smiled and stood.

"Hello Regina, how are you?" The kind doctor asked quietly, very aware of Emma's closed eyes and even breathing.

"Exhausted. How are you?" Regina answered cordially. They still hadn't quite reached friend status, but she trusted the doctor.

"I'm… ready to forget," Eva smiled sadly and then moved to Emma. She raised her gown lightly and studied the incisions for a minute, measured the size of Emma's bruise.

"She's strong. Her bruise is already smaller than this morning. It's a good sign. How's your knee?" Eva glanced up at Regina as she lowered Emma's gown.

"It's sore. I haven't been taking things very easy," Regina answered sheepishly. Eva smiled and then knelt in front of her.

"A lot has happened," the doctor commented absently and slipped her hands up Regina's pant leg. It took some maneuvering and patience, but they managed to get it hiked over her knee. She massaged it, pressing harder in her certain places to judge Regina's reaction to the pain.

"You'll be fine. It will heal faster on crutches. Make sure you keep the brace on it at all times, even while sleeping. Basically, everything is stretched out from the dislocation, tendons and muscles. We want to make sure they heal properly before you try to go unaided."

"Okay," Regina conceded easily, having no intentions to go without the brace in the first place. She may have had a high pain tolerance, but she needn't cause more unnecessarily.

"Doctor, how are Emma's other wounds?" Had she made a difference?

"Miss Swan has a long recovery ahead, physically and emotionally. Her heart is lighter, but it isn't healed. Whatever you've been doing, keep doing it. Her parents' return has helped as well, but she doesn't trust it. She's waiting for everything to fall apart. One misstep, and she may end up right back where she started. Also, please refrain, if you can, from mounting post-op patients," Eva added sardonically, and Regina grinned at the memory.

"Consider my lesson learned, Doctor," Regina admitted with an appropriate amount of of humility.

"Regina, I…" Dr. Zambrano started and then shook her head. "I know I promised that I'd wait until Emma fully recovered, but I'm in constant pain. Every person I touch… I just set a little boy's arm in the emergency room, not an hour ago. His father broke it by twisting it behind his back, and you know what the boy told me? He fell off his bike. He lives in fear everyday, and there is nothing I can do about it because he won't admit to the abuse." Eva shivered.

"Yesterday, a woman came in begging me to tie her tubes so that she might never have children. When I asked her why, she told me that she and her husband couldn't afford it. What I saw, though, was her father molesting her as a child. She's terrified that her husband would do the same to her children." Eva's eyes darkened, and she allowed Regina to see the pain she kept inside.

"Eva," Regina touched her shoulder and then pulled back. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't touch you." She gasped when Eva grabbed her hand, clutching it painfully.

"Regina, think of Emma. Think about kissing her, please," the doctor begged.

Regina bit her lip and closed her eyes. It took a moment, but she conjured the night they'd kissed forever, promising themselves to each other. It naturally drifted to this morning when Emma called her a fool. She smiled into the happiness when she heard Eva sigh in relief. She cracked her eyes momentarily. Tears rolled shamelessly down the young doctor's face, and her shoulders sagged as the weight was lifted.

"Think of Miss Lucas," Eva asked softly, and Regina complied.

Her first thought was those stupid ring tones she managed to slip onto her phone without her knowledge. The day when Ruby held her in the barn, the relief and comfort that simply hug inspired within the dark-hearted woman. Their nicknames for each other, their trust, their easy banter. Regina calling her Henry's aunt. The understanding that they both had an uncontrollable darkness that connected them in a way most can't even dream of. Regina gave it all to Eva, hoping that it erased some of the anguish she felt on a daily basis, anguish that belonged to others.

"Thank you," Eva whispered and opened her eyes. She held Regina's hand a moment longer, and then the touch slipped away. "Thank you, Regina."

"Eva, if you think Emma's care will not suffer, then you should cross the line. No one should live like this, and I cannot in good conscience ask you to do so, especially when you've helped me as much as you have," Regina offered earnestly. She loathed the thought of losing the woman she'd come to respect and trust, but she also knew that woman would be destroyed by the torment of her gift. She'd rather remember her this way.

"Thank you. I'll consider it," Eva replied as she stood. With a small smile, she slipped from the room.

Regina slumped into the chair, fidgeted, pushed herself to her feet. She leaned over Emma's face and touched her cheek lightly. Green eyes cracked lazily, heavily influenced by the chemicals in her body.

"Hello Darling," Regina smiled. She kissed Emma's nose lightly. "I'm going to take a walk, clear my head. Is that okay?"

Emma nodded, eyes already closed. Regina smiled widely, happier than she ever believed possible. "I love you," she whispered, not expecting an answer from the dozing sheriff. Emma hadn't said it yet, but Regina hoped she would soon. If not, she accepted that, too, as long as Emma continued healing, getting stronger, becoming the woman she'd fallen in love with again.

* * *

Regina breathed in the cool night air, her mind reaching higher clarity with each step. The town was dark except for streetlights every 15 feet or so. Before the curse broke, she used to leave Graham to watch Henry and walk around for hours in the middle of the night. The solace of being surrounded by peacefully sleeping citizens and crisp night air was a simple joy in which she partook often. She'd not had the chance since Emma Swan crash into her life like a bull in a china shop, and it irritated her to no end.

As much as she sought love and acceptance, she'd become very much an introvert. Constantly interacting with people inundating her with asinine requests or complaints for 28 years had forced her to seek creative ways to avoid them. One way was simply by staying awake at night while everyone else slept.

"Regina?" A confused voice called to her. She stopped as the body moved towards her from the other end of the street.

"I thought you were with Emma at the hospital?" Regina smiled at the familiar concern.

Wide eyes stared at her in terror and pain when her hand sank into a chest. Regina sneered, clearly enjoying the quaking of the body around her wrist. She jerked the heart from its nest and stared at it. Tendrils of black floated through the mostly bright pink organ.

"Why? You changed," the voice was tortured in more way than one. Regina squeezed the heart until dust slipped through her fingers and gusted over the body now lifeless on the ground, eyes staring at the dark sky.

Regina leaned over the body, studying the features carefully. A wicked and satisfied smile spread across her face.

"Regina's not home, Wolf Pup."


	20. Don't Leave Me

Oh My Sweet Doves! Thank you for all of your reviews, even the ones telling me goodbye. Unfortunately, it was the fastest way to break Regina, and Cora would have realized that by watching her daughter's interactions with our favorite wolf. Have faith!

Enjoy Lovelies!

Goodbye Maya Angelou, and thank you for your wonderful voice and inspiration.

Songs: Still by Daughter, Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus

* * *

This quote has been floating around a lot today, but it is entirely appropriate for this chapter.

_**"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." **__Maya Angelou_

* * *

Regina awoke abruptly when a harsh force snapped her head to the side. Her jaw exploded with pain, and her eyes flew open in fear and confusion. David slipped shackles around her wrists. She flung her hands out, but no magic crackled at her fingertips.

"What the hell are you doing?" She spat, not quite able to control the quiver of fear in her voice. She summoned her magic again, but it failed her twice.

"Stop trying. Blue enchanted them with what little Fairy Magic was left. You're powerless," he spat is a harsh, ragged voice. His eyes were red, cheeks puffy like he'd been crying.

"David, what are you doing?" Emma's groggy voice floated over Regina's head.

"I'm taking The Evil Queen into custody to away her execution," he explained coldly to his daughter.

"What? No, Regina hasn't done anything to anyone since the curse broke. She's changed, David," Emma pleaded with her father, hoping he'd pardon Regina if for no other reason than she wished it.

"She did last night. Ruby…" he faltered, tears springing to his eyes. "Someone tore out Ruby's heart and crushed it after the party last night," his voice rose an octave in his grief. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Ruby's dead?" Regina confirmed, denial crushing her thoughts. "No, no that's not…" her words stopped as her head snapped back under the force of David's angry fist.

"You don't get to say her name!" He screamed at the semi-conscious woman. His emotions pulled him in a thousand different directions.

"David, how do you know it was Regina?" Emma asked, her voice forced through grief of her own. "Rumpelstiltskin can take hearts," she offered weakly.

"He was drunk off his ass at the Rabbit Hole all night. I already checked every other possibility. For you," he added, acknowledging his daughter's feelings for the shackled woman.

"Wasn't me," Regina slurred, fighting through her dizziness and pain. She wished she'd offered something more eloquent in her defense, but it was the best she had given the circumstance.

"Can you confirm that, Emma? That she was here all night?" Emma shook her head sadly. Her eyes widened with the realization. Her heart hurt with every breath. Was Regina actually capable of murdering someone so close to her?

"I went for a walk," Regina's small voice fought through the fog of David's abuse. "I would never hurt her," Regina whined as tears spilled onto her cheeks.

"I loved her, David! She's my… was," her words froze in her throat. Ruby was gone? "My best friend," she finished pathetically. Grief clenched her heart. How could she do this without Ruby? Had anyone told Belle? Oh god, Henry. Who was looking after Henry? Granny… Regina's mind flitted to those she cared for most.

"Emma, it wasn't me," Regina pleaded with the sheriff as David pulled her from the cot, but Emma's face pressed into the pillow away from her. "Emma," she sobbed.

"Emma!" Regina called to her as David dragged her from the room, literally kicking and screaming. "Emma, it wasn't me! Emma!"

She quieted when her voice became too raw to call to the savior anymore. Leroy and the rest of the dwarves met him at the hospital doors. They grabbed her roughly and dragged her through town. She let them. She'd lost Emma. Ruby was gone. Belle and Granny would never look at her again. She wanted to die. She accepted the peace it would bring.

People stood on the street, some confused, others yelling their support. A crowd awaited her in the middle of town. A wooden post had been erected, and she was swiftly tied to it. Dr. Zambrano stood off to the side, and Regina saw a glimmer of hope.

"Eva! Eva, I didn't do it! Touch me, read me, tell them. Tell them I didn't do it!" The young doctor approached her slowly, confusion in her eyes.

Snow and David exchanged a look, wondering what Regina squawked about now. She was desperate, and that gave them momentary pause. They allowed the woman her last request as a mercy.

"I'm sorry, Madame Mayor, have we met?" The doctor squinted, trying to remember. She'd crossed the line, Regina realized. She'd given her the blessing last night, and she'd taken it at face value. She was lost.

"I'm sorry, but I was just walking back to the hospital. I'm not even sure what I was doing out in the forest this morning," she admitted softly, and then hands were pulling her away from the condemned woman.

"Henry," Regina whispered, and Snow leaned in close to her ear.

"You will never see my grandson again," she seethed, clearly not willing to stop the execution through her grief.

Regina went numb. Belle stared at her from beneath Rumpel's arm. Her true love had been taken from her, so she ran straight back to something familiar. The short librarian approached her slowly, her eyes were clear and dry. She was numb, like Regina. She felt nothing but hatred and anger. The former mayor accepted the slap on her cheek and the next and the next.

Snow finally pulled her back with arms around her hands. Belle thrashed to be free, to alleviate the grief in her soul, but Snow held her firmly. Rumpel stepped forward and accepted the distraught woman into his arms. She smiled at Regina over Belle's head and ran a gentle hand on Belle's frizzy brown hair. He knew something. She sensed it. He taunted her with his superficial affection for Belle, and Regina prayed that he maintained the pretense of being partly reformed. She shivered to think of what Belle will endure if he punished her for her perceived transgression and betrayal. She and Ruby wouldn't be there to protect her, she realized sadly.

"Regina Mills, I sentence you to death for treason and the murder of a member of the queen's high court," Snow said stately, calling upon her princess training for the tone and demeanor. She'd named herself queen. She allowed that title to sink into Regina's heart and then nodded to her husband.

Charming drew his sword. Regina closed her eyes, ready for it to be over. She hadn't wanted to die, but she'd rather not live in a world without Ruby and without Emma and Henry's love. She heard the whoosh of air as he brought the sword towards her still bruised throat and then nothing.

The air grew colder, the roar of the crowd faded. Regina opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by the cold marble of her vault. Her shackles lay on the floor at her feet, and she rubbed her sore wrists, confused.

"Hello My Darling Daughter," a raspy voice called from behind her. Regina's blood ran cold.

"Mother," her voice hardened. "You killed her," she snarled as she whipped about and pressed Cora into the wall. The elder witch fought it, but Regina's rage powered her magic, and right now she possessed more than the day she cast the curse.

"Temper, Dear Girl," Cora chided in amusement, not afraid of the grieving woman.

"You killed her! And I'm going to take you to them to be executed!" Regina seethed.

"You may do that, but they will never look at you with kind eyes again. They'll never love you, but I do," Cora's soft voice slithered around Regina, and she faltered.

"Don't manipulate me, Mother," Regina reinforced her anger as best she could. She'd only wanted her mother's love. She might have it if she reached out and accepted. If she turned her in, Regina would have lived but probably as her mother said. Alone and unloved.

"I'm not, Darling. The fact is the wolf is dead, and even if they let you live, they will always look at you as though you had a hand in it. They will still abandon you," Cora let her words sink into her daughter's heart, and then went for the kill. "I'll never leave you," she whispered in the sincerest voice she managed to muster. Regina's magic weakened, and she pushed against it, breaking free with some effort.

"Mother," Regina's voice was thick with emotions, acceptance of her situation.

Cora was right. They'd never love her now. Could she accept the woman who had taken Ruby from this world? Cora touched her cheek softly, and Regina broke. She'd lost everything, but her mother loved her. She'd said it. At least she didn't have to be alone. She fell into Cora's waiting arms, sobs wracking her chest. She hated her mother and was disgusted on every level at her weakness, for needing Cora's comfort. She hated herself.

"See how weak love makes you, Darling," Cora whispered in her ear. She was right. If she'd never loved Ruby, she'd never have felt this anguish.

The next three days passed in monotony. Regina stayed in the secret chamber of her vault. She said nothing, ate nothing. Her mother mocked her, goaded her into action. The words rolled into Regina, and she nestled them against her chest, letting them take her further into the darkness she'd fought for so long. Cora even healed her physical wounds, presuming the removal of physical pain would lessen her daughter's discomfort.

"Now, doesn't that feel better?" Cora cooed and brushed her hand over her daughter's hair.

"It hurts, Mother," Regina whined as Cora's touch sparked the pain anew.

It didn't work. Nothing worked.

The image of Emma's face turned from her and Belle's empty eyes flashed constantly in her mind, and when she felt particularly weak, the last conversation she'd had with Ruby floated into her consciousness. She cried at those times, her anguish consuming her.

"Would you like to see Emma, Darling?" Cora asked, extending a mirror like always when Regina broke down and sobbed. Regina shook her head as she usually had.

Finally, Cora tired of attempting to soothe her daughter's grief. She'd broken her perhaps beyond repair this time, taken too many loved ones at once. She grabbed Regina's compliant hands and pulled her to her feet.

"Hook has called me with our signal. Go to the docks and collect my things from his ship," Cora ordered, hoping the task might help Regina begin her recovery.

"Yes, Mother," she replied mechanically. If she refused Cora's request, her mother might have deemed her beyond useful and abandoned her. She pushed down her disgust as she willingly obeyed the woman who had killed Ruby.

"You needn't board the filthy vessel. He can bring them to you," Cora ordered.

"Yes, Mother," she said again and then disappeared after much effort to gather her magic.

Hook, however, must wait. She appeared at the top of the crypt, needing a moment to adjust to the fresh air and bright sun again. In the distance, a large crowd gathered. Regina's heart clenched. It couldn't be, could it? She inched closer, considered using a cloaking spell to hide her presence, decided against it. Of course her mother chose today, Regina thought bitterly. She wanted to remind her of her weakness, strengthen her resolve to rip this town apart and take what she wished.

Belle and Henry clung to each other in the front row with Gold standing behind Belle protectively. Everyone sobbed. Ruby's funeral. Granny stood stoically at the foot of her granddaughter's grave. Regina bit her fist to keep from crying out in renewed torment. She'd loved the young woman deeply. She'd been her best friend, her confidante. She'd have given herself freely if only she traded fates with the young wolf. Her mind warred with her heart, knowing she should have turned Cora in to the idiots.

And then she saw her. Emma sat in a wheel chair, revealed by Snow and David when they shifted towards the grave. David turned the handle, lowering Ruby into the ground. Regina studied Emma's face. It was empty. She may have been there physically, but the sheriff had checked out mentally again. Like her, perhaps her mother had decided some fresh air might have helped. Emma stiffened and glanced up, like she'd sensed Regina.

They locked eyes for a moment. Tears filled four eyes, but Emma alerted no one to her presence. She simply stared at the woman who would have been her lover. Regina searched desperately for it but saw no hate in those eyes. Emma still believed in her, perhaps even believed she had nothing to do with Ruby's death. She disappeared in a silent puff of smoke.

"She needs her things," Regina demanded without pretense as soon as the pirate's leather-clad back appeared in front of her.

"Hello Your Majesty," Hook muttered and turned slowly. "Didn't expect you," he raked his eyes over her rumpled clothing, arms spread wide as if expecting a hug.

"She needs her things. Retrieve them now," Regina demanded.

"Not even a hello for an old enemy?" Hook jabbed at her buttons and received nothing for his efforts. Cora certainly knew how to deliver dirty punches. A twinge of sympathy grabbed at his heart for the broken woman before who only three days ago had stood strong and proud with love and respect. Cora had taken it in one night.

"Follow me," he waved his hook and turned toward his invisible ship. He disappeared for a moment, and then after a few curses and a bang reappeared with a burly man.

"I think this is what she refers to," Hook said smugly, clapping the man on the shoulder amiably. "This here is Anton," the pirate introduced.

"Where am I?" The heavy man asked with a soft voice. Regina rolled her eyes. What has her mother planned for Storybrooke?

Three sets of eyes turned towards the invisible ship when a series of thumps and muffled shouts filtered through the cloaking spell. Hook's eyes widened, flicking quickly to Regina before he pushed Anton towards her.

"Let me know how he works out for you," Hook shot over his shoulder and then disappeared again. Regina waited, and the racket ceased in a few minutes.

They hid something from her, and when she unleashed whatever her mother intended with the use of this man, she determined to find out what it was. She touched the man's brown robe and flashed into the crypt.

Cora clapped excitedly, clearly delighted with her daughter's success. "Wonderful, Regina!" The woman cooed. "Now, let's get to work, shall we?"

"Anton, do you remember the prince who killed your family and stole your compass?" Cora asked, a dangerous sneer in her voice. The man's face immediately tightened, hands clenching into fists.

"Excellent," Cora whispered and then produced a blue mushroom from the pocket of her dress. "How would you like to exact your revenge? He's in this land, right outside in fact if they haven't stopped sniveling about that vile creature. You may be just in time to catch," Cora informed the man as she pressed the mushroom into his hands.

"Mother?" Regina questioned. Henry and everyone she still loved were also just outside.

"Oh don't worry, Regina. We'll go watch from a rooftop somewhere. If your boy is endangered in any way, I will protect him," Cora flapped her hand trivially.

"Take Hook. I have no heart for destruction today, Mother," Regina bit and retreated to the chaise lounge she'd occupied for the past three days.

Cora ignored Regina's dramatics and spoke quietly with Anton as she escorted him from the crypt. Regina counted to 300 in her head before she ever moved. Certain that her mother had disappeared and that she'd protect Henry if anything should happen, she appeared at the docks. Cora was heartless, of that she was certain, but she knew that hurting anyone else Regina cared for would send her daughter into a spiral from which she'd never recover.

She saw neither Hook nor Cora when she arrived, so she quietly approached the invisible ship. It creaked and groaned. She nearly fell into the water twice while searching for the ramp. The cooling air bit at her cheeks, and she suspected there would be a storm in just a few hours. Night descended quickly, and she fumbled in frustration for the dock. Finally, her hands landed on something solid, and she boarded the Jolly Roger with shaking hands. That mushroom wouldn't last forever, and Cora's anger would burn if she learned of her daughter's betrayal.

Regina needed to know, however, if her mother had brought anything that might harm her son or Emma. They may not have wanted her anymore, but she loved them dearly, her weaknesses. If her mother perceived any betrayal, they'd both be endangered, so she moved quickly. A swift sweep of the desk yielded nothing magical or dangerous, only normal tools of a pirate ship. It wasn't filthy like her mother had said. In terms of pirate ships, this one definitely received much care and love from her captain. It was spotless, clean of dirt and cobwebs, top form.

The lower decks were a bit more confusing, full of dead ends with no real pattern to its lay out. Regina expected nothing less. Pirates were paranoid by nature, so they instinctively designed their ships to offer the maximum amount of security and safety if ever attacked. Still Regina saw nothing of concern, nothing that would have been trying to break free. They hadn't imagined the sounds, not with Hook's worried and scared expression. The ship was clean, in more than one way.

Regina stamped her foot and crossed her arms in frustration. What had Hook hidden from her? The rattle of chains accompanied the muffled bangs this time. They filtered up from the floor boards and Regina wrinkled her nose. She waved her hand at the floor, testing each board for a weakness that indicated a trap door. Nothing.

She moved through the rest of the lower deck, testing the floor with her magic. Finally, on the opposite side of the ship, a hidden door gave way and flung open. She looked inside and then lowered herself into the bottom hold of the ship. It was barer down here. It was meant for prisoners and treasure, Regina deduced from the chains on the wall and the putrid scent of death and human waste.

Regina gagged and covered her mouth and nose with her blazer sleeve. The further she traipsed towards the other end of the ship, however, the lesser the smell became. Eventually, she breathed normally with only a hint of sourness filling her nostrils. Her sense of smell acclimated quickly and soon became immune to the scent.

She came to what had to be the final door and waved her hand. Tumblers and cogs clicked and banged as she unlocked the door with magic. The rattling picked up again behind the door. She'd found it. She took a deep breath, steadied herself. Magic at the ready she pushed the door open quickly.

Her heart stopped. A thin female body hung from the wall. Her ripped bra the only thing separating her from complete humility. Infected cuts and bruises had trashed the pale skin. The woman's eyes were swollen shut, face puffed from multiple blows over a period of days. Blood dripped from her wrists and mouth and covered her arms and chest. It took Regina a moment, and her stomach roiled as bile crept up her throat as she slowly recognized the battered woman.

"Ruby."


	21. Hum to My Heart

Sweet Doves, I am overwhelmed by your response and support. Thank you so much. In honor of that and because I almost feel slightly bad but mostly satisfied about scaring some of you, I've given you a 95% Ruby/Regina-centered installment.

Also, I know you have no clue who they are, but I would like to give a shout out to my wonderful chefs. They are amazing, and they graciously made me spicy cajun pulled pork baked beans and a fresh Ciabatta roll before they left. It made my night. Love my guys!

That said, enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: Fix Me by Icon for Hire

* * *

The giant raged through Storybrooke, destroying cars and shops and houses. David regretted his less than gentle treatment of the giant back in their realm, wishing he'd been more gentle with the taking of the compass. Luckily, Granny and Belle had moved Henry and Emma to safety when the funeral had been busted up by the large angry man. He seemed rather disinterested in them anyway, focusing instead on David and Snow. They hadn't a clue the torment Regina faced in the hull of Hook's ship.

"Ruby?" Regina repeated, and the unrecognizable face looked towards her. She hung by her wrists, too weak to stand. Her knees brushed the floor as she swayed back and forth with the rocking of the ship but not enough to afford relief to her wrists and shoulders.

"Re-gin," she coughed for her effort. Her throat was raw and damaged. She calmed after a moment, and Regina summoned a bottle of water as she crossed the floor quickly.

"No…more… Re-gina," the wolf woman gasped, nearly passing out from the effort of speaking.

"No more?" Regina halted just before touching the woman. "Oh Sweetheart, I'm not going to hurt you," Regina comforted the tortured woman in a hushed tone.

Ruby jerked against her chains. She barely had the strength to stand, but she flung herself at the other woman who stilled hadn't quite come into her vision yet.

"Ruby, stop. Stop! You're going to hurt yourself more," Regina moved in a semi-circle in front of her, finally finding a slit in her eye. "I'm not going to hurt you, Ruby Red Wolf Pup Lucas," Regina soothed, desperately controlling her hands before she touched the injured woman prematurely. She used all of her names like Belle had when she'd tamed her wolf, hoping it broke through to her. It did.

Ruby calmed slightly and dropped back to her knees, allowing her wrists to take the weight of her body. Regina knelt and offered the water to the captive. Ruby tipped her head up, barely but it was enough. Regina poured some water between her lips. Ruby swallowed half, the other dribbled down her chest. The liquid caused a small coughing fit, and Regina gave her another sip when it calmed.

"I'm going to release you, Ruby. Please don't fight me. I don't want to use magic against you," the older woman informed her.

When she received no response, she slipped one arm around Ruby's back and waved the other over the shackles. The entire weight of the wolf slumped onto Regina's chest, and she fell onto her butt under the pressure. Ruby's torso lay in her lap, held upright by only her arm. She spread her legs to better accommodate the girl's maltreated body and wrapped her other arm around her hot skin. She burned hotly with fever and infection. Given how dirty the hull was, Regina wasn't surprised.

"Wasn't you," Ruby mumbled into her shoulder, and Regina pulled back enough to look at her swollen eyes.

"What?" She wondered aloud, not understanding Ruby's broken babble.

"She wasn't you," Ruby tried again, wincing with the effort. A spasm shook her body; from pain or fever, Regina hadn't a clue.

"The woman who did this to you. Did she look like me?" Regina asked. She couldn't see it, but she felt Ruby's nod against her chest.

"Cora," Regina whispered and held Ruby a bit tighter. "It was Cora, Ruby, not me," Regina explained, desperately hoping her friend understood.

"My heart," Ruby muttered and then quaked again.

"She took your heart?" Regina's mind struggled to keep up as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her. She wasn't going to question why Cora hadn't killed her friend or how she'd faked her death. She was relieved and happy and refreshed with the knowledge that Ruby lived and breathed in her arms. She wasn't gone.

"Ruby, this is going to hurt a little, and I'm so sorry. I'll be as gentle as possible, but it will hurt. I'm going to make sure you still have your heart," Regina coddled the young woman and steeled her nerves for what must be done.

"Please," Ruby whispered.

She wanted Regina to check. Regina pressed her hand flat against Ruby's chest and closed her eyes. She didn't want to see the added pain on Ruby's face. The wolf whimpered when the hand sank beneath her skin and touched that most precious life-giving organ. Regina slumped in relief and took a moment to simply feel that strong, beautiful organ pulse against her fingers. She pulled back quickly and shook her tingling hand. She ached to stick it back inside Ruby just assure herself of her friend's life force but quickly removed the consideration of such a violation from her mind.

"It's there, Ruby. She didn't take it," Regina pressed her forehead into Ruby's temple and held the back of the girl's head gently. "It's there, Ruby," she repeated, her emotions spilling in the form of tears and reassurances as she repeated the words over and over.

When her tears subsided, she pulled back. Ruby's face was wet with tears of her own, but her face was too ruined to discern pain from joy.

"I'm going to poof you to the hospital, as you call it," Regina smiled.

She held her breath, preparing for the trip but stopped. She shrugged out of her blazer one arm at a time, struggling to break free from the fabric. Shaking hands tucked it around Ruby's torso, covering her stomach and breasts while leaving her arms free lest the entrapment set Ruby off again. Satisfied that it stayed in place, she wrapped her arms securely around Ruby's back and shoulders.

"Hold your breath, okay? It's a little chalky," Regina informed and then held her own as she summoned her magic and imagined the hall just outside Emma's room.

The walls shimmered and then appeared, and Regina squinted under the harsh fluorescent light. People jumped back. They'd become accustomed to Regina's sudden appearances, but they all thought she'd become The Evil Queen again.

"Regina?" Emma's voice called from above her, and she tipped her head to find Emma looking down at her. She'd obviously been up walking around to strengthen her muscles and lungs.

"Ruby," Emma breathed. The nurse at her side squawked when Emma jerked the IV from her arm and dropped to her knees beside Regina. It hurt like a bitch, but she helped Regina lower Ruby's body across Emma's thighs, cradling her head in one hand.

"Someone get some help!" The savior shouted, and people started moving finally. "How?" She asked Regina much more quietly.

"I don't know," Regina answered honestly. "Cora's here. She faked her death, but I don't know how," she explained quietly, shock making her mind fuzzy.

Zambrano ran beside a gurney and dropped to her knees across from Regina and Emma. She assessed the damage quietly and then nodded to Captain and a few other nurses slipping into latex gloves. They moved forward as one unit and lifted Ruby out of Regina's arms. She stood immediately.

"Captain, call Granny and please come get me when she is assigned a room," Regina implored, hoping she afforded one more act of kindness.

"Okay. What happened?" Captain asked, and the rest of the team paused, needing to hear the situation.

"She was held captive and tortured. If she should lash out, do not restrain her or I will fillet all of you. Understand?" They nodded anxiously. "Good," Regina turned from them and moved back to Emma still on the floor.

She squatted and helped Emma to her feet. She may have been walking, but her muscles and organs still healed from their trauma. Emma stared at her, an odd expression on her face. Her eyes flicked to Snow and Henry standing at the door to Emma's room and then back to Regina's.

"I told you," she breathed. "I told all of you!" Emma whirled on crowd that had gathered during the excitement. She lost her balance, and Regina caught her instinctively with a hand on her back but made no move to thwart the pissed off savior's rant.

"All of you owe this woman an apology!" She flung a shaking hand in Regina's general direction. "I told you that she was not capable of killing someone she cared about, you fucking idiots!" She lost her anger as relief swept over her. She covered her face with her hands.

Regina wanted to leave, but something pulled her forward. She placed her hands on Emma's shoulders, squeezing gently. The touch brought the sheriff back to her senses, and her head snapped towards Henry. She took two steps forward and grabbed his shoulder, forcing herself not to squeeze too tightly in her anger.

"Apologize to your mother. Right now," she demanded, uncaring if her son pulled against her grip in fear of her anger. "And you are never to bring up The Evil Queen ever again, not when speaking about your mother."

"I'm sorry, Mom," Henry said sincerely with tears in his voice.

He sounded ashamed of his actions and broke free from Emma's hold, running towards his mother. He stopped two steps from her, unsure if she'd accept him back into her arms. Regina's face fell at her son's perceived rejection. Regina waved her hand over her clothes, removing Ruby's blood and then pulled the boy against her chest. A tear slipped out when he hugged her around the waist.

"Oh Henry. I'll never abandon you because you made a mistake. I promise," she whispered into her son's hair and squeezed him tightly. Emma nodded, apparently satisfied with Henry's behavior.

"And you," Emma pointed her gaze at her mother. "Go get Belle and make sure Granny has a ride here, and pray to whatever god you fairy tale folks believe in that I let you see my son again after the swaddle you've filled his head with these past three days."

Snow opened her mouth and sucked in a harsh breath, preparing to defend herself. Emma held up a hand.

"Shut. Up. You sentenced an innocent woman to death, despite the fact that the evidence was shaky as hell. You want me to be your fucking savior and do the right thing? The right thing would be to throw you and David in jail for attempted murder. The next time I tell you that I believe in someone's innocence you'd better listen, or believe me, I don't care how injured I am, I will stop you. Now go get Belle and Granny," she ordered and then hobbled into her room, her pain overcoming her anger and adrenaline. "And someone put my damn IV back in!"

"Regina," a mousey voice called from behind her. "A lot of us told them it couldn't have been you. They didn't listen. Someone else maybe, but not Ruby. If it had been Leroy, I would have thought it possible, but not Ruby," Lauren, the shy pretty nurse said quietly and then scurried into Emma's room to help her back into bed and reinsert her IV needle.

"Regina, Captain just called," an office assistant said from behind the desk. Apparently, the name caught on in her absence. "She says that Miss Lucas is, umm, freaking the fuck out and refusing treatment until you or Belle accompany her," the woman stuttered with the exact phrasing used by her former captain.

"Where is she?" Regina asked, ignoring the woman's awkwardness.

"In triage in the emergency room," the woman answered swiftly, her confidence gaining.

"Henry, go sit with Emma. Do not leave her side under any circumstance, understand?" Regina commanded gently. Her son nodded, wiped his nose on his sleeve and trudged into the room.

Regina smiled, and then allowed her magic to wash over her as she poofed to the triage area of the hospital. She liked the idea that perhaps she practiced magic in the open without fear but pushed it down the second she materialized. Ruby needed her, and she'd never put herself before the younger woman, not right now. People filled the emergency room, holding rags to bloody wounds or cradling broken bones. The giant must have wrought an appropriate amount of destruction. Captain greeted her immediately and steered her towards the back triage room, and she ignored the slight pull of guilt over the amount of injured people behind her.

Ruby pressed into a corner, hands braced on either wall. She looked ready to fall over, but the staff still obviously feared being set upon by her wolf strength. Regina rolled her eyes, knowing how it felt to have those eyes pointed in her direction.

"Ruby Lucas, can I not send you anywhere without trouble following?" Regina asked lightly and crossed directly to the scared woman. Ruby sagged against the wall when she heard her voice, but said nothing.

"What upset you?" Regina asked gently and touched Ruby's bicep, hoping it was an area that wouldn't cause more pain.

"Undress me," Ruby answered and then coughed.

"That's a bit premature, Dear, but perhaps if things don't work out with Belle," Regina quipped and gently pulled Ruby from the wall.

"Come on. That's it, in the bed." She held Ruby's hand as she turned to address the staff. "Clean and dress what you can see right now. We'll work out the rest as we go," Regina ordered and then pointed to the chair on its side across the room.

Captain moved first, grabbing the chair and settling it beneath Regina. The other five people moved forward as a unit, but Regina held up her free hand as she sat.

"Perhaps only two at a time? Hm? Captain, you may work beside me, and Dr. Zambrano on the other side?" Regina suggested, wanting desperately for them not to spook a half-aware werewolf.

They moved as instructed. Three of the nurses left quietly, and one stayed behind to hand Captain and Eva fresh gauze as needed. She stared at Dr. Zambrano for a moment. She retained the quiet strength that she's always had. Her brow still furrowed in concentration, but the harsh edge in her eyes had dissipated. She no longer felt the pain of a thousands lives. She was just a deeply sensitive woman doing her job with the utmost care for her patient. Regina was happy for her.

She pulled her focus to the injured woman that she cradled in her hands and smoothed her hand over Ruby's hair, studying her friend for a moment before speaking. She leaned close, though she knew everyone in the room overheard what she said.

"Emma believed in me, Wolf Pup. You should have seen her upstairs a moment ago," Regina grinned and cleared her throat. "She sent Snow after Granny and Belle. Your family will arrive soon. You're safe now." Regina cooed next to her ear, hoping she broke down some of Ruby's paranoia.

"Miss Lucas, this needs stitches. I need to numb the area," Eva said without preamble as she pointed to a deep gash across Ruby's chest. "What caused this?" She asked, cocking her head to one side as if trying to remember why she felt a strange connection with the former mayor and her charge.

Ruby tensed. Regina shushed her. "Knife," Ruby mumbled and made a slicing motion with one shaking finger. Regina's blood ran cold. It hadn't been a knife, but it had felt like one. Her mother used magic to inflict the wounds.

"Miss Lucas, you're going to feel a pinch and some burning. I'm sorry to cause you more pain, but this will make you feel better in a few minutes," Eva explained, but Ruby shook her head, tensing again as if to strike the woman. Captain stepped back and waited.

"Ruby, you were sedated with a needle, correct?" She needn't have elaborated more. Ruby nodded and leaned towards Regina.

"It's okay. You trust me?" Ruby nodded. "Okay, I trust Dr. Zambrano. She only has local anesthetic. She's going to numb this area," Regina informed Ruby by pressing a fingertip beside the deep gash.

"Do you feel my finger?" Ruby nodded. "She's going to stitch this for you. I won't let her put the needle anywhere else. I promise," Regina's voice broke as her emotions swelled, and she nodded once to the doctor and then pressed her forehead to Ruby's.

"Just a little pinch," Eva murmured. The pressure of Ruby's hand tightened momentarily and then relaxed.

"Not too bad?" Eva asked Ruby. When she received no response, she hummed softly. It was a slow, haunting tune, the same one she'd hummed the night she stitched Regina's leg. It sounded beautiful even without the words.

Tears leaked from behind Ruby's swollen eyes, and Regina pulled back slowly, prepared to stop everyone. She realized, however, that Ruby recognized the melody that Eva hummed. It soothed her. Regina nodded once at Eva, and she resumed the song. When it ended, she started over, and Regina joined her. And then Captain caught on and added her deep alto. The nurse at the counter of medical supplies also joined in. Regina grinned up at all of them and then smoothed Ruby's hair again.

"We'll get through this, Wolf Pup. I will not abandon you, my sister," she whispered, and Ruby probably would have missed the soft words if not for her wolf hearing.

"Came for me," Ruby rasped, trying to express the emotions welling inside of her now that she no longer focused on simply surviving.

"I'll always come for you," Regina promised reverently, uncaring who heard the vow.

"Ruby!" Granny's gruff voice called from the door, and the humming ceased.

"Easy, Granny," Regina cautioned, and the elder Lucas toned her emotions to a simmer.

Captain abandoned her work and stepped aside, allowing Granny her place beside Regina. Normally, they frowned upon such an intrusion, but the circumstances were unique. People didn't return from the dead everyday. Granny placed one hand on Regina's shoulder and covered their joined hands with the other.

"I'm here, Ruby," she assured her granddaughter quietly. More tears slipped from Ruby's eyes. "I'm here, Girl," she repeated, but Regina heard the exact opposite. Granny reassured herself that Ruby was here.

"Oh Regina, dear girl. I'm so sorry. I never thought Snow and David would try to execute you. I thought they'd at least find the truth first. I'm so sorry I doubted you," Granny whispered. "Can you forgive me?" Granny Lucas never apologized, rarely had a reason to, and Regina had never heard her beg forgiveness before.

"Granny, I… I will, but right now my focus needs to be on Ruby. I cannot even consider my own feelings or I will break from the betrayal of everyone I care for. Please accept this as an olive branch for the moment with the understanding that I will eventually revoke it when everyone I love is safe from Cora," Regina babbled, devoid of emotion without ever looking at the older woman.

"I'll take it," Granny clipped, not judging Regina for rejecting her request of forgiveness. She was right. Their focus should be solely on Ruby right now.

"Ms. Mills, I need to numb another area," Zambrano jumped in at the first possible opening and then cleared her throat. Regina disentangled her hand from Granny's firm grip.

"Ruby, you're going to feel a pinch here," she set her fingers next to a gash on Ruby's ribs. "She's going to numb it with a needle, just like before," she helped the girl understand and traced Ruby's temple with her thumb over and over, comforting the girl as best she could. How was it possible to comfort someone when you barely had enough clear skin to touch?

"Gran?" Ruby called for her grandmother.

"I'm here, Ruby," Granny reassured and squeezed her hand lightly.

"Belle?" Ruby grunted, wanting to hear that soothing accent now that her mind cleared of the haze of her situation. Reality settled into her, and her shock wore off. She was exhausted, but safe and loved and surrounded by people who protected her no matter the cost.

"Snow's looking for her, Honey. I'm sure she'll be here soon," Granny answered quickly, and Regina knew she'd left something out in regards to the librarian. She tucked it away and determined to ask later.

When no more questions followed, Dr. Zambrano began humming again. Granny stared at her with soft eyes. "I used to sing that to her when she was a child," Granny commented absently, her eyes turning to Ruby's busted face. Eva nodded and continued humming; Captain joined her again.

"She grew up strong, didn't she?" Granny said to no one, but Regina hummed an affirmative anyway. They fell into silence save the gentle sounds coming from Captain and Eva.

"Done," Eva said gently. "I really need to look at her face and get a full body X-Ray to check for broken bones and a CT to check for internal bleeding in her brain and abdominal area," she explained efficiently, and Regina scrunched her forehead. She was so much like the Eva Zambrano that she'd come to respect and love, but she wasn't her, not quite.

"Ruby," the doctor called her attention in a soothing voice. "We need to get you into a hospital gown so we can see what's going on inside your body. If you'd rather be sedated for this, I can make that happen. If not, I need you to let us help you change. Do you understand?" Eva's voice was firm but compassionate.

Ruby nodded. "Change," she said simply and then rolled her head towards Regina. "You. Not Granny. Not anyone," she pleaded in broken sentences, but everyone understood and silently cleared out of the room. Granny paused for a long moment.

"Take care of our girl," she commanded Regina who nodded without looking away from Ruby.

"I'm going to let go of you, Ruby. I have to go get the gown. It's just across the room," Regina informed her, unsure if Ruby needed the constant reassurance, but it made her feel better.

"I knew you couldn't wait for me to get your pants off. Don't worry, I won't tell Belle if you don't," Regina joked as she quickly crossed the room and then returned to Ruby's side. If she couldn't feel her touch at least she heard her voice, Regina thought.

"Ready to sit up?" Regina asked, not actually expecting or waiting for an answer. She slid her hands beneath Ruby's shoulders and helped her sit up and swing her legs over the side of the bed. Ruby's shoulders sagged with the weight she carried, and Regina faltered as she wished that she could have taken it from the girl.

She knelt and removed Ruby's combat boots and then stood. "Ruby, I'm going to take your bra off. Is that okay?" Regina asked carefully, unsure of everything the younger woman had gone through. Ruby nodded.

Regina reached around her and unhooked the black stretchy material. She held it in place, however, when Ruby's arms slipped around her waist. She slid the clasp into place and splayed her hands over the girl's upper and lower back, fighting the urge to press the other woman tightly against her. As much as Ruby needed constant confirmation of her presence, she needed the affirmation that she was alive and breathing after mourning her for what felt like weeks.

Ruby's body shook silently, and the hot wetness of tears leaked through the material of her shirt and soaked her chest where Ruby rested her face.

"Let it out, Wolf Pup," Regina encouraged, knowing all too well the dangers of keeping such anguish and anger trapped inside. "I've got you," she confirmed and then fell silent. She rubbed slow circles on Ruby's shoulder blades and waited for the storm within her friend's mind to blow through.

Finally, Ruby shifted and pulled back.

"Better?" Regina asked as she brushed one hand over Ruby's tangled mane and held her lower back with the other. Ruby nodded. "Bra?" Ruby nodded.

Regina removed the material and quickly slid the gown up Ruby's arms, exposing her for the least amount of time possible. Regina pulled her onto her feet with firm hands on her shoulders, holding her until certain she'd found her equilibrium. She leaned over Ruby's shoulders to tie the flimsy strings, and the wolf wrapped her arms around Regina's waist again. She hadn't broken down a second time, just confirmed to her tortured mind once more that she was safe and secure and protected by the powerful sorceress now gently undressing her.

When the strings were secured, Regina hiked the gown up and tentatively reached for the buttons of Ruby's ruined dress slacks. Sensing no objection, she unbuttoned and unzipped the pants and then hooked her thumbs into Ruby's panties and removed them both with one swipe, the gown falling with Regina's hands, preserving her dignity in an undignified situation. She felt safe with Regina, though. She knew the dark woman held no judgment and wouldn't see her as weak once she'd healed. She wasn't sure she'd even allow Belle to see her in this position, not yet.

Regina sensed the reverence of the moment, nestling it close to her heart to hold forever, and held her words. They stood in silence until Ruby wavered on her feet. Regina urged her back onto the bed with gentle hands and then moved to the door and retrieved Eva and Captain. She needn't have spoken when she moved from Ruby this time. They both knew that Regina wasn't leaving her side until Ruby decided it was okay.

She stood outside the door of the X-Ray room and talked to Ruby about nothing and everything until it was time to start taking the pictures and repeated the motions in the CT room. She pulled Captain aside while Ruby received the scan.

"Can you assign her to Emma's room? I know that wing is reserved for post-op patients, but given the circumstances and the influx from the giant fiasco, can you make an exception?"

"Do you think it best?" Captain asked honestly and endeared herself to Regina further by not simply rolling over and giving in to her request.

"I do. My mother is loose in Storybrooke and aiming at the people I care about most. I can't be at two places at once, no matter how much magic I possess, and I'm the only one besides maybe Rumpelstiltskin to protect them if she makes an appearance. Not to mention, Emma and Ruby both need me right now," Regina explained as logically as possible, not wanting the fact that she needed both of them near her as well to be a factor in the decision.

"We'll have to move Miss Swan down a couple rooms. We put her in a single because of, well, your insistence that you be with her. But we'll make it work," Captain answered clinically and nodded.

"Wonderful. Thank you, Captain," Regina offered, but the woman had already moved to the phone. She spoke to one of her nurses quietly, efficiently explaining the situation and ordering Emma to be moved to another room.

"They're moving her to 203 now. She should be settled by the time we finish with Miss Lucas," Captain reported after she hung up the phone.

Regina knew that Captain had already bent the rules by being here and leaving her floor unattended. As head nurse on the surgical floor, she needn't have dealt with an emergent patient, but she stayed because she felt an obligation to Regina. The former queen was grateful, and so she remained silent. Her soldiers didn't need platitudes or coddling encouragements. Her approval was enough, and so she allowed it to be.

They moved again, returning to the triage unit. They switched Ruby to a fresh bed now that most of her blood and dirt had been cleaned or wiped onto the emergency gurney. Granny followed silently as they rolled her granddaughter to Emma's room. Lauren waited in the empty space with tubes and wires. She hooked Ruby up and inserted the IV needle silently. She squinted at Ruby's chart and then opened the saline drip as wide as possible.

"You're dehydrated, Ruby. This should help you feel better soon. I don't have an order for pain medication. Would you like me to call Dr. Zambrano or get you some Ibuprofen?" She asked quietly, never one to raise her voice. The surgical floor suited her, Regina decided. She probably performed wonderfully with scared family members and distraught patients. It dawned on her that she'd done exactly that with her when Emma's condition seemed grim. She smiled.

"Ibuprofen," Ruby responded after a moment.

Emma and Henry waited patiently for their friend to be settled. Regina dropped a kiss onto her son's head and then slipped an arm around his thin shoulders. Emma looked up expectantly, clearly disappointed that Regina hadn't repeated the gesture on her head. Regina met her eyes a moment and then looked away, watching Ruby's reactions to the different wires being attached to her.

Granny hovered by the door, not quite sure what to do with her hands. She wrung them, fiddled with things on the wheeled tray filled with Emma's basic necessities, and settled for crossing her arms over her chest. The nervous ticks struck Regina as odd because Granny Lucas was not a woman who fiddled or wrung her hands, but her helplessness manifested the same for her as everyone else who ever had a loved one gravely injured.

"Okay, all done," Lauren told Ruby as she taped the IV tube against her forearm. "I need to get some blood to run labs," she explained and inserted the tube into the plastic-covered hole with a small needle sticking out.

"Doc says if your labs and scans come back clean, then we can give you some soft foods, so think about what you want while we figure out what's going on in there," Lauren nodded towards Ruby's stomach, and then slipped out the door silently. She'd definitely worked closely with Zambrano for a long time. She behaved almost identically, caring but not doting, close by if needed but not intrusive. Regina liked the girl.

"Granny? Regina?" Ruby asked and turned her face towards the door. Regina wondered how much she actually saw and if that played a part in her earlier panic.

"We're here, Girl. Don't you worry about that," Granny puffed and moved to the chair beside the bed. She sat and then slowly took her granddaughter's hand as though Ruby might have broken or disappeared if she touched her.

"Regina?" Ruby squeezed her granny's calloused hand, thankful that she had never abandoned her like her mother had.

"Yes?" Regina cleared her throat and then mimicked Granny's actions, dragging the chair near the door to Ruby's other side and settling herself between Ruby and Emma. She took Ruby's other hand.

"Where's Belle?" Ruby asked again, and Regina squinted in concern.

"Ruby, do you remember asking us that question twice already?" Regina queried tenderly, not wanting to frighten the girl.

"Yes," Ruby answered quietly. "I just want her," she admitted honestly. A sob bubbling in her chest tightened her voice and sent it into a high-pitched whine.

"Do you want me check with Mary Margaret and see if she's found her yet?" Emma asked, saving Regina from the task. Ruby nodded, tears slipping down her face again. Emma snagged her phone from the table, tapped out a text to her mother, and then returned it.

Granny produced a tissue from her pocket and dabbed gently at Ruby's swollen face. "We've got you, Girl. Don't you worry. I'm not letting you out of my sight," Granny swore, and everyone in the room knew it to be true.

"Is Henry here?" Ruby wheezed and hiccupped.

"Hi Ruby," the boy said unobtrusively, glancing between his mothers before moving to Ruby's side.

"Hi Kiddo," Ruby tried to smile, but it came out a mangled expression. "Got that book Belle gave you?" She asked suddenly.

"Yes. Do you want me to read to you?" he asked in hushed excitement, wanting desperately to be useful in the quest to help Ruby feel better. Ruby nodded as tears welled again.

"Yeah, Kiddo. I do," she whined again, exerting a modicum of control over her tears.

Henry rushed to his bag and found _Treasure Island_ and returned to Ruby's side. Regina scooted back in the chair and offered him her lap, knowing he was far too old to sit in his mother's lap. He smiled up at her with surprised eyes and climbed up, wiggling until his weight distributed evenly over her legs. Regina glanced over at Emma as Henry inquired where Ruby had left off and then began reading emphatically.

Emma grinned as her son suddenly seemed as young as he actually was. Regina felt it, too. They'd made him a kid again today, and that was something to be proud of as a parent. Emma's mouth parted when Regina reached her free hand towards her, palm up. Green eyes slipped shut at the contact and shimmered as they reopened to watch the scene beside her. Regina hadn't shut her out, even though she'd have understood if she had. She had turned away when Regina needed her the most, considered her own pain above Regina's, above Regina's life.

Yet, Regina quietly invited her back into that life, perhaps even her heart. Emma knew she needed forgiveness, but she'd not shun the second chance. The pain would come when it came. Right now, she simply enjoyed the feel of Regina's warm hand in her larger colder one and the sound of her son happily reading aloud. If she burned Regina twice, she'd never get another shot. Regina offered her a Hail Mary pass, and Emma cradled it next to her heart humbly where it would be most protected and cherished.


	22. Guidance

Hello, Everyone. A guest left a review that I felt needed addressed for everyone who may have the same questions. As to where this story is headed, I intend only to go as far as the end of season two. It may feel like "déjà vu" or circular in terms of plot because I am simply taking major events from the actual show and putting my own spin on them. I've listed events from each episode and picked from them what I felt would advance the story and mapped each chapter accordingly. Not all events follow the same order as the canon depicts, but I've incorporated them as I needed them. My preparation is one of the reasons I am able to write, edit and post so quickly. I don't need to think about what I've already planned, just the emotion and dialogue.

As for the disruptions in relationships, I needed Emma down at first so that Regina would learn how to stand on her own and earn the respect of the town without wondering if it was her or Emma's influence. Now that she has that, expect more from SwanQueen. As for the other disruptions in relationship building, I'm only taking major events and reworking them to suit my original ideas and subplots. Fairy tales are all about the journey after all! I've considered writing a separate but similar story for season 1 and 3 as well, obviously a continuance and prequel to this one, but they will each have their own resolution and can be read as stand-alones. For now, I want to focus solely on this, though because it is my favorite season. ;) I hope this answers your question!

And on that note, enjoy my lovelies!

Songs: Shatter Me by Lzzy Hale and Lindsey Stirling, Slow Goodbye by Leslie Roy (Ruby and Belle's official theme song until further notice)

* * *

After a misstep to the wrong room, Snow stopped at the door of Emma's new room and took a deep breath. It had been a long night of unfortunate occurrences and catastrophes, not least of which was Regina's recovery of a very much alive Ruby Lucas. She straightened her spine and reminded herself that this wasn't about her or Regina or the former queen's relationship with Emma. Ruby had taken a beating, mentally and physically, and the night's events delivered another blow.

Her heart swelled and clenched at the same time at the scene she uncovered when she pushed the heavy door open. She might have been a part of this had she not been so incredibly rash.

Henry slept on the cot, his hand thrown over Emma's shin protectively. Granny slumped over Ruby's thigh, snoring lightly. The young waitress clung tightly onto her grandmother's hand and seemed to be at least resting if not sleeping. Her damaged face made discerning her state nearly impossible. Emma and Regina sat side by side on her bed. Emma's head drooped onto Regina's shoulder, blonde hair spreading over her face and onto the other woman's chest.

Regina leaned her cheek against Emma's head and clasped her hand tightly. Her eyes, however, were wide open. She kept vigil on her family, forgoing a probably much-needed night of sleep in exchange for ensured protection for those dearest to her. She raised a thin eyebrow at Snow's sudden appearance but said nothing.

"Regina," Snow whispered and then stepped hesitantly into the room. She bit her lip and then made a decision. Both of Regina's eyebrows raised when her arch nemesis moved silently to the chair she'd been in earlier and sat next to her.

"Regina, something's happened. I know you hate me right now, and I'm sure Emma and Ruby do as well. This is about Belle," Snow babbled hurriedly.

"She was at the town line with Gold. We're not sure why. She…" Snow cleared her throat and glanced over at Ruby. Dread slipped into Regina's heart, chilling her from the inside out.

"She fell over the line," Snow continued. "We aren't completely sure about the details yet. Hook was there, but Gold had beaten him pretty badly by the time we arrived. A man broke them up when he drove into Storybrooke. Greg Mendell. He's not from here; he's from Pennsylvania," Snow finished and took a deep breath.

"Belle's memories?" Snow shook her head, and Regina's face tightened as her eyes slipped shut.

"Regina?" The former queen raised an eyebrow, irritated that Snow hadn't disappeared when she opened her eyes.

"If I apologized, would you let me?" Snow's voice quieted further with emotion, shame.

"You just did. Good Night, Miss Blanchard," Regina snipped, referring to her identity as a grade school teacher, stripping her of all titles even her married one.

Snow nodded sadly and then exited without another word. Regina huffed and settled into the upright bed. Emma stiffened, disentangled her hand from Regina's, and wrapped it around her hips. Regina drew a sharp breath and forced herself to relax at the abrupt, more intimate touch. It wasn't sexual, but it spoke of intimacy.

"She's trying, you know?" Emma mumbled into her shoulder.

"So was I," Regina countered, anger building in her stomach.

Emma grunted and then raised Regina's arm enough to slip underneath. She pressed the button on the bed, lowering them to an almost flat position and then nuzzled into the crook of Regina's shoulder. The dark hair woman looked down at her, amused. She lay flat on her back, head on Regina's chest and shoulder, one hand trailing up and down her forearm, the other flung carelessly on her stomach. Her fist rested between Regina's breasts.

"What are we going to tell Ruby?" Emma asked seriously. She may have been comfortable, but Snow's revelation left her wide awake and anxious. Regina propped her free arm behind her head and sighed.

"I'm going to tell her the truth. She's not a child, Emma," Regina scolded her… whatever in the hell Emma was.

"She's just gone through so much. Maybe we could wait a few days. Granny said that with wolf strength she healed twice as fast. I'd like to have some of that," Emma babbled, unaware of Regina's eyes slipping shut at the soft cadence of her voice. She'd sat up alone in a quiet hospital room for several hours now, and Emma's warmth against her body and her heart tugged her down until she was capable of nothing else except giving in to the call of sleep.

Emma glanced up when she received no response, twisting her neck uncomfortably. "Regina? Are you asleep?" She asked stupidly.

"I will be if you stop yapping," Regina sniped and readjusted her head. Emma settled back against her again, silently this time. Emma wiggled gently, finding her comfy spot again. She followed Regina's arm to where it rest on her shoulder and played with her fingers, not ready for the woman to fall asleep yet.

"Regina?" She asked again without looking towards Regina's face. She slid her fingers between Regina's smaller ones, loving the way her smooth, pampered skin felt against her rough calluses.

"What is it now, Miss Swan?" Regina cracked an eye and huffed, preparing one of her regal hissy fits as Ruby called them.

"I love you, too," she replied in a small voice, and Regina nearly asked her to repeat the words just to ensure she'd heard correctly.

Instead, she craned her neck and pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head. She captured Emma's fingers between hers and brought both of them to Emma's shoulder. Her heart flipped in her chest, and she fought the urge to pull it out and study it. Perhaps, maybe it wasn't so hard and dark anymore.

"Sleep, Miss Swan," Regina encouraged lightly and lay her head back onto her arm. Her eyes slipped shut.

"Regina?" Emma caught her attention a third time. Regina huffed and gritted her teeth, almost wishing Emma still needed morphine injections every couple of hours. She continued when Regina refused an answer.

"Why do you keep changing your ring tone to songs about strippers?" Emma asked honestly, clearly confused by Ruby's prank, thinking Regina had done it.

"Ruby," Regina said simply as if it explained everything. It did. Emma smiled and finally closed her eyes, safe and secure in the only arms she ever wanted to hold her again. Regina hadn't left her, not once, and if Emma had a say in the matter, she'd never give her reason to again.

Morning brought with it a harsh light that immediately irritated the two cuddling women. Regina groaned and wondered why her arms were numb. Emma whined and flung her hand at the window as if trying to shut the curtains magically.

"Close the curtains," Regina grumbled, and the light disappeared. She cracked her eyes and discovered the culprit to be her son. "Henry, how long have you been up?" Her voice softened, but eyes slipped shut as her head fell back against the bed.

"Almost an hour. Granny's been up longer. She made me promise to watch over Ruby while she got us all breakfast. I thought she'd like the sun," the boy explained quickly, unused to seeing his mother grumpy in the morning.

"Let's wait until she wakes up and let her decide, hmm?" Regina suggested, hoping her son bought the line.

"Okay, Mom," he conceded and then turned his nose back to his book.

"Won't you come give me a good morning hug?" Regina asked, forcing her eyes open again.

"I can't," he answered gravely, and Regina's eyebrows pulled together.

"Why is that?" Regina grilled her son, slightly irritated at being rejected without good cause.

"I promised Granny that I wouldn't leave Ruby's side, like right here in this chair. She said she'd teach me how to be a better hero if I kept my promise," Henry's words gathered speed as his excitement took over.

"She told me that sometimes being a hero meant holding someone's hand and sometimes it meant staying up all night and keeping watch. She said that it's not very exciting being a hero, not like in my book. Apparently, it's really hard work and the job is never done, according to Granny. And sometimes, she says being a hero means letting someone we love be happy even if it isn't what we want for them because heroes make the right choice even if it's the harder choice," he glanced awkwardly between his two mothers and then hid his face in his book.

Regina's mouth hung open. Her son had rendered her speechless with his unexpected rant about heroes. Clearly, he'd spoken to Granny about her relationship with Emma while they'd been awake and alone in the early morning together. She glanced down at Emma and found wide, green eyes fully awake and staring at the boy, reflecting the surprise in the brown ones above her head.

"That Granny's a smart lady," Emma responded with a smile.

"Damn straight," Granny puffed as she entered the room. She fixed the boy with an over-the-glasses look. "You stay put like you said?" Henry nodded enthusiastically.

"That's my little hero," Granny praised and sat the bags and cardboard cup holder on the tray beside Emma's bed. "Pancakes, bacon, and hot chocolate is your reward," she said proudly and handed him the items.

Regina and Emma shared a slow glance at each other, mouths open, and then turned their eyes back to the interaction before them. What the hell had that woman done to their son?

"You going to suck air or eat your omelet?" She looked pointedly at Regina, propping a fist on her hip and waggling the foam food box at her. When Regina failed to respond quickly enough, she tossed the box on the bed at their feet. "Eat when you're done being a fish, then," she grumbled.

"They giving you real food yet?" She tossed over her shoulder at Emma.

"Uh, soft," she cleared her throat when her voice cracked. "Soft foods."

"Figured. Made some fried potatoes and white gravy for you and Ruby. I don't trust the food in this place," she grumbled and tossed another box on the bed along with two sets of silverware in individually wrapped baggies. She shoved a coffee into each of their hands, and Emma silently thanked some unseen being that she hadn't thrown that at them, too.

Henry grinned up at the elder Lucas, syrup smeared on his chin. Regina watched them for a moment and then urged Emma forward gently. She acted like Emma, but she still had massive damage inside her body. Luckily, Ruby had suffered no such fate. Her wrist was fractured, but that was the extent of internal injuries. Granny explained last night that wolves are tough, hard to kill and injure, which only made Regina feel sick. If Ruby healed quickly and sustained injuries beyond a normal human, how much tortured had it taken to weaken her to this point?

As if reading her mind, Ruby groaned to life. She touched her face and then winced. Granny had been right about her healing quickly, though. The swelling in her face had reduced exponentially, like it'd only been a bee sting. She finally looked like Ruby, bruised and cut, but Ruby nonetheless. Her eyes widened and she shot upright, regretting the quick motion immediately. Her ribs and head exploded with pain, and she grabbed her temples. After a moment, her eyes raised slowly in the direction of her food.

"You made fried potatoes," she breathed, clearly pleased with Granny's choice of breakfast.

Granny smirked and handed her a foam box and a plastic fork. The wolf ripped the lid off the box in her haste to remove anything separating her from the greasy food. She shoved a gigantic amount in her mouth and hummed when the salty flavor hit her tongue.

"Her favorite," Granny said in a loud, breathy whisper as she leaned slightly towards Emma and Regina like it was a secret.

"Huh. I'd have guessed road kill and grub worms," Regina deadpanned. Emma snorted coffee through her nose. Henry chortled. Ruby grinned over at her, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk in a nut shop.

"Slow down before you choke your stupid self," Granny chastised, and Ruby swallowed audibly, wincing as the massive amount of food slid down her throat.

"Yes, Granny," Ruby replied, appropriately rebuked for her behavior, but her eyes twinkled with the fantastic start of her morning.

Regina's heart sank. Ruby was so resilient, so very strong for her age, and she hated the fact that in a few minutes when she asked where Belle was, they were forced to break her heart all over again. Everyone felt the energy sober in the room, and Ruby glanced around her family, wondering what she'd done.

"Yeesh, who died?" Ruby blurted, not quite realizing yet that she'd been resurrected only yesterday. She knew nothing of Cora's sick joke of faking her death. When no one said anything, she sobered, eyes widening "Oh god, who died?"

"No one died, Ruby," Granny huffed. "Eat your breakfast," she ordered and then followed her own instruction with one watchful eye on her granddaughter.

"We're just glad to see you up and talking. You scared us," Regina's voice dropped with her second sentence, and her eyes fell to her half-eaten omelet. She wanted nothing to do with it but shoved a piece in her mouth anyway. Ruby deserved a few moments of contentment before being shattered again.

The young wolf shrugged when she found her mouth too full to speak. She swallowed and said with another shrug, "Wolves heal fast."

Regina and Emma shared a knowing look. Ruby may have regained her bounce for the moment, but they feared the night her nightmares began. They would, but Ruby seemed to have slept peacefully through the night, which helped her healing, so they stayed quiet on the subject. They ate in silence. Ruby finished first, and even Henry grimaced when she tipped the bowl of plain white gravy and drank it like the last few swallows of milk at the end of a bowl of cereal.

"Has Snow found Belle yet?" Ruby asked and then wiped at her mouth gently, wincing when the salty gravy found its way into one of the cuts on her mouth.

"Ruby," Regina sighed and scratched her forehead. She really loathed what she was about to do to her friend. "Belle… Last night there was an incident at the town line. Belle was injured and…" Regina sprang from Emma's bed and sat beside Ruby on hers.

"Ruby, Belle fell over the line. She doesn't remem…"

"No," Ruby said simply, face devoid of emotion. "No," she repeated, her voice raising slightly as her denial lessened. Suddenly, Regina was reminded of that frightened woman who had clung to her and spoke in broken sentences last night. Granny and Henry also reacted visibly, having only heard the information for the first time, but thankfully stayed put in their chairs.

"Ruby, we'll find a way to get them back. I need to research the curse more thoroughly, but we'll…" Regina started again.

"I want to see her," Ruby interrupted again. "I want to see her now, take me to her," She pushed off the bed, and Regina followed prepared to catch or stop her should she have fallen or bolted.

"Okay, I will take you to see her. Just calm down before you rip out your IV. Okay?" Ruby calmed but didn't sit. Satisfied that she averted a full out crisis, Regina glanced over her shoulder at Emma.

"Emma, call the nurse, please, and ask her Miss French's location," Regina said calmly, slipping easily into Mayor Mills with her cordial requests and calm, unsettling voice.

"I need clothes," Ruby said suddenly as if she only realized her she'd flash her ass to the world if she visited Belle in this gown.

"What would you like?" Regina asked. When Ruby only stared in confusion, she waved her hand, materializing Ruby's favorite combat boots now clear of blood and dirt of course. The situation was tenuous enough without triggering some sort of flash back of her torture.

"I want my uniform," she answered immediately. "No, wait, a cop might scare her, right? Loose jeans and a t-shirt. Just comfortable and normal, I guess," Ruby sighed in frustration and pressed the heals of her hands into her temples to alleviate the pounding behind her eyes.

"Okay, I'm going to have to touch you for that. Is that okay, Ruby?" Regina said honestly. She had hoped to summon something she'd already seen, and without that visualization, she'd be forced to use Ruby's body as a guide. Ruby nodded and straightened her spine.

"Room 310," Emma said. Regina nodded over her shoulder but remained focused on Ruby.

She snapped her fingers and one of Emma's black t-shirts appeared beneath the robe. That was easy, but her pants wouldn't fit Ruby's long legs. Regina found Ruby's hips beneath the gown. She studied those chocolate colored eyes for a moment. They were frightened, and Regina understood. Her true love may have been ripped from her forever. Instead of death, however, Ruby may be forced to see her everyday, knowing what they had could never be again. Ruby nodded, and Regina squatted quickly and ran her hands down Ruby's legs.

She jerked the gown by the neck, strings snapping under the pressure, and then sat on the bed. Ruby leaned over and then hissed, grabbing her side. She was on the verge of another break down, and Regina figured that nothing would stop it.

"Emma, why don't you take Henry to the vending machines? I need some chocolate. Milky Way if they have it," Regina said suddenly, pleading with Emma using only her eyes. They all understood that Regina preserved Ruby's dignity with the request and stood silently.

"Yeah, it's time for my morning walk anyway," Emma conceded darkly, not comfortable leaving Regina alone with a grieving werewolf, not after the last time she and Ruby had a stand-off. Regina and Ruby connected on a level that even Emma couldn't understand, and she knew that she'd never have talked Regina out of it. So, she kissed Regina's cheek, took their son's hand and pulled her IV pole out the door.

"I think I'll go with you," Granny said sadly, knowing she'd be no help soothing her girl's torment. The door clicked shut, and they were alone.

Regina touched Ruby's hair lightly but moved no closer. After a pregnant pause, the younger woman grabbed Regina's shirt and jerked her forward. She pressed her face into Regina's chest as a hollow wail escaped her throat. Regina gritted her teeth, face tightening with her own tears. Ruby's anguished cries mirrored those she'd released in her bathroom the day she had saved the idiots from Gold's fairy vortex. She knew this pain, and her memory called it to the surface easily.

She held one hand around Ruby's head, the other rubbing circles on her back. Her lips fell naturally to the crown of Ruby's head. She waited. There was nothing to be said, nothing to be done. She hugged her, but she'd never have taken this anguish if her life depended on it. Ruby healed very quickly from physical wounds, but like Regina, she carried each slice and burn on her heart deeply in a place nearly no one ventured. Belle had gone there willingly, like Regina. She'd healed some of those wounds like Emma and Ruby had for her.

Eventually, the tears dried and Ruby pulled back, damaged but cleansed for the moment. Regina suspected that her tears weren't only about Belle but said nothing. She knelt and slipped socks and boots onto Ruby's feet. Ruby let her. She snagged the flimsy hair brush from the bag on Ruby's wheeled tray and untangled Ruby's dark mane. Dried blood and dirt flaked onto the white blanket beneath them, and Regina wrinkled her nose. Ruby needed a shower in the worst way. When she'd done all she could short of using magic, she stood in front of Ruby again, hands held out to the girl.

"Maybe she shouldn't see me like this," Ruby stalled, looking up at Regina with wide scared eyes. Without seeing Belle, her denial reigned for a little while longer. Regina nodded.

"I think that wise," she responded honestly. "You're still weak and dehydrated. You need to be strong if you are going to help her through this. She's safe. Take comfort in that and be a little selfish for once in your life. You can't be strong for everyone else if you're hurting as much as you are. I learned that the hard way. Let me guide you through it." Regina begged, hoping her words made sense to the young wolf.

"You're always strong for everyone," Ruby commented absently. She sank into her mind, but Regina touched her hand, brought her back to reality.

"I let everyone in Storybrooke down when I allowed my pain to grow into hatred and vengeance. I failed my kingdom, my people. I regret nothing because it gave me Henry and Emma in the end, but it still hurts when I see them struggle with this new life. It's easier to shut down, but life's worth living if you're surrounded by people who make it worth your while to get out of bed every morning." Regina explained gently as she sat next to the taller woman.

She scratched at the Velcro on Ruby's wrist brace and waited for her to fully consider what she'd said. Ruby huffed a sigh so similar to Granny's that it brought a smile to Regina's face. She'd be exactly like her grandmother when she grew older. Regina bumped her shoulder gently, pulling her back from the precipice of too many thoughts.

"If Belle never came back, who would you get out of bed for?" Regina asked, hoping to turn Ruby's thoughts to the positive aspects of her life.

"I'd get out of bed for you," she admitted quietly at first, voice growing with each admission. "And Granny. Henry and Emma. Hell, I'd even get out of bed for Snow. I know you hate her, but I don't think it's too late for her," Ruby remembered the old Snow and hoped she came back to them.

Regina clenched her jaws. Ruby still knew nothing of her failed execution, and Regina refused to tell her now that she'd calmed. Ruby deserved a moment of peace before she riled her anger again.

"Let's go see Belle," Ruby looked up suddenly. "I'm calm, I promise. I… I think I need to. I won't believe it until I do," she admitted quietly. Regina nodded and supported Ruby's elbow as she stood. Ruby grabbed her IV pole begrudgingly and then nodded to Regina.

She released the taller woman when they reached the door. Ruby needed to feel strong and holding her arm achieved the opposite. They said nothing as they deciphered their way to the third floor, but Ruby fidgeted the closer they came. Outside the door, they nodded to each other.

"I'll wait right there," Regina pointed towards the irritatingly sunny sitting room they'd passed.

Ruby straightened her clothes and patted her hair, stalling as long as possible under the guise of fixing her appearance. She knocked and a quiet voice bade her enter. She opened the door slowly, unsure of what she'd find. Belle or the woman who looked like Belle sat in the bed, covers bunched around her waist. She looked terrified, like the first day they'd met outside the diner. She carefully closed the door behind her and leaned against it heavily.

"Belle," she breathed, and the other woman rolled her eyes in frustration.

"Why does everyone keep calling me that?" The accent and facial expressions sounded and looked like her lover, but the inflection was wrong, harder, colder somehow. Of course, the only memories available to her consisted of being locked in the asylum for 28 years.

"What should I call you?" Ruby asked sincerely. She'd fallen for her once, maybe she'd learn to love the person Belle was now.

"I… Lacey," she answered, clearly surprised by Ruby's question. Hadn't anyone asked her about her identity yet? Ruby seethed instantly, took a breath, tamped down her anger.

"Hi Lacey. I'm Ruby," the taller girl introduced herself and pushed away from the door.

"Were you in the accident last night?" Belle/Lacey asked and pointed at her face.

"I… no, I wasn't in your accident. I'm the sheriff's deputy," she said with a shrug and took a few steps forward. Perhaps stories of kidnap and torture were second visit material, so Ruby remained vague.

"Ouch," Lacey offered insincerely, and Ruby bristled.

"Should have seen the other guy," Ruby quipped without feeling the joviality behind her statement.

"So, are we friends?" Lacey asked hesitantly. Belle lurked in the statement, and Ruby's chest felt like it'd been hit with a baseball bat. This woman was as insecure as her lover, but she used bluster and harshness to cover it instead of hiding in books. Perhaps she could live with that, Ruby thought and then shook her head. She loved Belle, and this was not Belle. She knew it the first time Lacey spoke.

"We, uh, yeah. You used to come into my granny's diner a lot. We've, uhh, we spent a lot of time together," Ruby answered vaguely. She tried to parallel this woman with the one who had made passionate love to her in the back of Emma's cruiser, but reconciliation between the two was impossible.

"Then tell me the truth. Last night, I was hurt. A man was there, and he healed me, like magic. And then this other guy showed up, and the guy who healed me held a fireball in his hand. What the hell was that?" Lacey babbled, and tears stung the back of Ruby's throat. It was Belle's voice but her eloquent cadence and vocabulary disappeared with her memories.

"I don't know, Lacey," Ruby answered, hoping she took the words at face value.

"Oh, it was weird as hell, and everyone keeps telling me that I was hallucinating, and that creepy guy who healed me won't leave me alone. What's his name? Gold? He kissed me last night while I was sleeping and looked at me like I had offended him because I pushed him away. And this morning he brought a chipped tea cup and wanted me to hold it and look at it. I guess I chipped it. I mean, I'll pay for it if he wants," Lacey finally paused for a breath and then looked up at Ruby.

The deputy's horror at the reality of Belle's situation must have shown clearly on her bruised face because Lacey halted her tangent. Her big blue eyes studied the deputy curiously. She knew that Ruby was to be trusted but knew not why, and Ruby's face told her that the deputy cared about whoever she'd been before she lost her memories. She was a sheriff's deputy, and if she asked, perhaps Ruby's compassion for her would lead her to confront Gold about his behavior.

Ruby cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, Lacey. I have to go, but can I visit you again? I made a promise… before… to look after you, and even if you never remember, I'd like to keep that promise," Ruby babbled and picked at the Velcro on her brace anxiously. She'd had enough for today. Belle wasn't here, but her body was. If she ever regained her memories, Ruby silently vowed that she'd create no new ones that might leave her ashamed or damaged.

"If you want," Lacey conceded nonchalantly. "You're the only person who doesn't look at me like I'm nuts anyway, so might as well." Lacey shrugged and picked at the blanket at her waist.

"Okay, tomorrow morning?" Ruby confirmed. Lacey shrugged and turned on the T.V.

"Okay," Ruby said quietly and dragged her IV pole towards the door.

Anger flared in her chest at Regina. If she'd never cast the stupid curse, Belle would never have suffered this fate. No, she'd still be locked in the tower being tortured every day by The Evil Queen. Ruby stopped just outside the day room and leaned against the wall, chest heaving with emotion. She wasn't actually angry with Regina. She was angry with the situation and blaming Regina was an easy outlet. Everyone else had done it, and Ruby swore that she'd not betray the sorceress like that. She caught her breath, collected her emotions, shoving them into the box in the back of her mind where she kept all of her dark thoughts and evil deeds, and continued to the day room.

One way or another, she swore she'd bring Belle home. She was in there, Ruby sensed it, and she wanted her back. The impossible task should have daunted her path, but it gave her a goal, a mission, a worthwhile reason to get out of bed every morning.


	23. All of Me

Hello Darlings! So, I'd just like to say a few words to the guest who left me a review about "the Ruby crap." Friend, if you don't like the Ruby crap, don't read the Ruby crap. It's perfectly acceptable not to like it and also to tell me about it, but do it in a way that doesn't denigrate the story by dismissing its importance. The decision was made about 17 chapters and 75,000 words ago to make her a major character, so to leave the Ruby crap unaddressed and completely ignore the fact that Belle loses her memories would be an injustice to the character I created, to those readers who love the Ruby crap, to the writers of OUaT who developed Belle's journey, and to me as a writer because I would know the story to be incomplete. I traffic in angst, not fluff.

That said, here's some shameless and overdue SQ as I promised in my note in the previous chapter.

Sorry that I missed my middle of the night posting. I dislocated a knuckled yesterday building a window seat, so things are slow going. Next time I will remember to just say no when my beautiful, wonderful but flaky and easily distractible partner who I would never leave or kill in her sleep offers to hold the board. I should know better after four years of similar disasters anyway.

Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: Private Parts and Beautiful with You by Halestorm, All of Me by Jasmine Thompson, All Over Me Now by Lindsey Harper (didn't care much for the movie, but this chapter made me think of this song)

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_**1 Week Later**_

"Emma Swan, I swear to god if you pick up another box I will zap you in the ass with a lightening bolt," Regina's voice echoed across her vault and slithered up Emma's spine.

The sheriff had been released from the hospital three days ago and insisted she accompany Regina or Henry everywhere. Since Henry sat with Ruby and Lacey at the hospital, she trusted her son to be in good hands and eagerly accepted the precious little alone time she'd spend with Regina, even if she was cleaning out her creepy vault, hearts and all.

She froze at Regina's threat, however, and immediately dropped the box from waist height to the floor. It clattered to the floor, busting along the side, and sent magical items skittering across the marble floor. Regina sighed and slammed something into the box she packed across the room. Emma tucked her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and studied her, er, Regina.

"You okay?" She tossed out casually. They'd had an off morning. Every time Emma turned around it seemed she managed to step into Regina's way once again. They fumbled for conversation for about an hour and then gave up the pretense that they'd actually turn their alone time into quality time and quietly worked on opposite ends of the room.

Regina stared at the ceiling as she fought down her frustration at Emma's words. Her back muscles rippled with tension through her red cotton shirt. She sighed and turned slowly, and Emma jerked at the unfettered emotions on the dark woman's face.

"I'm sorry that I threatened to zap you. You know that I'd never use magic against you, right?" Regina apologized, insecurity in her eyes. Emma took two steps closer but hung back just out of reach. Regina teetered on the precipice of revealing exactly what had bothered her so much this past week, and Emma wanted to hear it, which meant she needed to prevent herself form doing something stupid, like sticking her foot in her big mouth.

"I do," she answered slowly, wondering where Regina headed with this conversation. "Regina, tell me what's bothering you, please," Emma begged gently, hoping she hadn't pushed her further into her shell. Regina barked once in sardonic laughter and wiped at her eyes.

"My mother is loose in Storybrooke. We have no idea where or how to stop her, and she is targeting people I care about in some insane plot to win back my allegiance. My best friend is crumbling into pieces because her true love was ripped away from her in the harshest manner possible, and I'm partially to blame for that. Snow White bakes me fucking cookies everyday, which is just disconcerting. I'm in love with Snow White's daughter, who is literally less than half my actual age, which was fine until she did something stupid like jump in front of a bullet for me." Regina ranted quickly in one giant breath, and Emma struggled to keep up with the different emotions each sentence brought forth in the dark woman.

"Emma, I have no idea how to talk to you anymore," Regina admitted despondently and turned back to her box.

"I did before you were shot, but I'd never seen you that vulnerable. You almost died, damn you!" She whirled on the confused sheriff with an accusing finger pointed.

"And now I don't know how to speak to you. I keep imagining how pale you were after your surgery. How am I supposed to speak to you?" Regina floundered, genuinely searching for an answer.

"Well, I'm still me, and you're still you. Granted, a less bitchy and overworked you, but still you. Regina, I'm trying here, could… could you just look at me?" Emma pleaded, her own insecurity getting the better of her. Regina heaved another sigh and slowly complied.

"Hey," Emma stepped into her, settling her hand on Regina's hips. The former royal relaxed for a moment and accepted the physical closeness. "We'll figure it out. We always do, right? I'm not made of glass, Regina. We're all vulnerable. We all feel pain and get hurt. It's part of being human. But I'm not planning on leaving you anytime soon, okay?" Emma slid one hand around her lower back, pressing their hips together, and tucked a shock of black hair behind her ear.

"Emma," Regina breathed in sudden frustration and pushed out of her arms. Emma's eyes slipped shut as her hands curled into fists.

"What the hell, Regina?" She spat, unfettered anger slipping into her voice. "You have done that every time I've touched you since I got out of the hospital. Do you not want me to touch you?" Emma asked, hoping she was wrong.

"I do, Emma," Regina crossed her arms over her chest and dug her nails into her sides.

"Then what the hell is wrong with you? You've forgiven me, gave me a second chance. You made me love you, and now you're shutting me out. If it's always going to be this way, then we should end it now because I can't do _this,_" Emma's chest heaved and her voice broke, but she'd thrown the words out there.

"I don't want to hurt you," Regina admitted inaudibly, and Emma squinted at her. Eyebrows raising as if to say speak the fuck up. Regina cleared her throat. "I don't want to hurt you," she repeated.

"Regina, I'm fine. I mean, I'm not going to run a marathon anytime soon, not that I would anyway, but you aren't going to hurt me. It's almost been six weeks. Doc says I'm healing fast. I should be back to work in like two weeks. You know all of this, so what's this really about?" Emma asked again, pushing Regina now certain she wasn't shutting down.

"This isn't just about me being shot, is it?" Emma asked with new clarity. What in hell scared Regina so much that she refused to touch her?

"Dr. Zambrano, Eva… in our land, she was what we call a soul-seer. One touch from her and she can glimpse a person's heart. Sometimes they hear thoughts or see images, but mostly they feel emotions, intentions towards another human being, that sort of thing. The day you woke up from your coma, she…" Regina cleared her throat, stalled. She'd wanted to broach the subject for weeks now, but she hadn't found the appropriate moment.

"She told me that you pulled away from me because of what I'd done to Belle, which I knew, but she told me why," she finished gently, studying Emma's face for any reaction.

"How much did she tell you?" Emma asked carefully, knowing that opening up to Regina about her life was the only way to overcome this new obstacle. She could actually do something about this one, though.

"Nothing detailed. I actually read between the lines in order to glean what I did." Regina clenched and relaxed her fists, fighting the urge to reach out to the other woman.

"Twice," Emma started and then crossed the chaise lounge and sat. Regina remained rooted her spot.

"Twice?" Regina prompted. Emma nodded.

"Yeah. I was assaulted twice. The first time I was a kid. He was a skeeze bag foster dad. He molested me for about a year until I finally told my social worker. I only told her because he started progressing. Up to that point, it seemed like a small price to pay for having a home, you know," Emma swallowed thickly, and Regina needn't have asked what he was progressing towards.

"Emma, you don't have to tell me if you're uncomfortable," Regina offered her a way out.

"I need to, Regina. I'll never tell Henry, but…" Emma stopped as the tension in the air snapped tight. She leaned her elbows on her knees and sighed deeply.

"His father?" Regina whispered, her stomach roiling with the new knowledge.

"I didn't want to hate him. Henry, I mean. Not too long after that, I met a man named Neal and got caught helping him fence some stolen watches. I was in jail with no money, no job and a hell of a lot of pain. I didn't know who his father was, not the it mattered anyway because both of the bastards betrayed me. I had nothing to offer him, and he didn't deserve to be hated for something he had no control over," Emma confessed quietly, eyes staring at the floor between her feet.

"It was a long time ago, Regina. I don't have flash backs or panic attacks anymore. Sometimes, I have a random nightmare, but that's about the extent of it. It fades with time, you know. Anyway, when you told me what happened, it just sort of took me back there. It destroyed me a little bit to learn that you were capable of that kind of darkness because I was already so in love with you that my eyes crossed sometimes with the pain." She glanced up at Regina's shocked face. From the story of her confession, she hadn't a clue.

"It hurt too much when I found out that I'd fallen for another dark soul. Murder is one thing, but this… it takes a special kind of evil that I couldn't fathom for a while. I wasn't sure I could ever forgive you or love you. But then you told me what Rumpelstiltskin did to you, and I knew that if I'd had a chance to get revenge on those men who hurt me, I'd have done it. That's what you were doing. It doesn't justify it, Regina, but I think maybe I understand it now," Emma finished, looking up expectantly at Regina.

The other woman stood still, mouth open, tears in her eyes, but her emotions were unreadable. Emma pushed her hands on her knees and crossed the strode across the marble. Regina found enough time to refocus her eyes and gasp before Emma's hands gripped her shoulders painfully and her lips crashed into hers sloppily. It needn't be pretty as long as it stated what she felt. If Regina refused to believe her words, she'd make her believe with actions.

Regina responded when her surprise wore off. Her hands splayed over Emma's back and pressed their bodies together. Emma grunted at the small twinge of pain the pressure caused in her stomach and then threaded her fingers in Regina's hair. She was fine, and she wanted… needed to feel the other woman, confirm that they weren't crazy. The connection they shared was real, and they'd danced around it long enough.

A moan slipped up Regina's throat when Emma's tongue slid into her mouth and then disappeared. She followed it with her own, tracing the blonde's upper lip and then nipping lightly. Emma smiled into her mouth and pulled back. Regina assumed she'd ended the heated kiss, her point thoroughly proven.

She exhaled harshly in surprise and arousal when Emma's open mouth eagerly found the skin of her neck as her back simultaneously slammed into the cold marble wall. She gave herself over to the sensation, allowed her arousal to build. She'd denied herself Emma for so long, believing her hands unworthy of touching the pristine soul of the savior. Yet, here she was, initiating, humming her approval when Regina's warm hands slid beneath her t-shirt and traced her sides.

The thought spun Regina's head, and it thumped against the wall as she surrendered to the lips and teeth on her neck. Another outward gasp deflated her chest when Emma's hand gripped her ass and slipped a thigh between hers at the same time, pulling her against the new friction. Damn, Emma Swan was smooth. She broached the point of no return and fought through the haze of heat and dizziness.

"Emma," Regina pushed on her shoulders weakly, enough to stop the delicious assault on her neck but not enough to disconnect their bodies.

"Not here," she explained breathily. "Not in this place," she pleaded with Emma who nodded.

The sheriff pulled back slightly, and Regina flipped their positions. She grabbed Emma's hands and held them above her head, fingers pressing between Emma's longer ones. Green eyes shot wide open with the new desire coursing through her veins. Regina's lips pressed beneath her ear and then teeth nick her lobe.

"Hold your breath," Regina whispered, and Emma shivered at the deep timber that rolled against her spine. Her body flew apart and then heated as the room around them suddenly felt 15 degrees warmer.

She cracked her eyes to find Regina's elegant bedroom surrounding her. Instead of cold marble, Regina pinned her body to the door, her demanding lips and teeth never faltering against her throat. Hands slid down her arms, pausing only a moment before covering her breasts. Emma moaned shamelessly and rolled her hips against Regina's. The pressure against her disappeared, and a moment later her shirt pulled over her body, landing somewhere on the floor behind Regina.

She levered her body against the door and pushed away before Regina trapped her again. They came together roughly, lips and hands searching for traction and dominance. Regina froze suddenly and pulled back with wide eyes when the room gave a soft shudder and two sets of clattering feet echoed in the foyer.

Emma rolled her eyes, head falling backwards as a frustrated groan filled the room. Regina abandoned her and jerked the bedroom door open. Ruby and Henry jumped at her sudden and flustered appearance over the banister, face flushed and breathing labored.

"Miss Lucas, go take yourself for a walk. Perhaps to Granny's for a long lunch with my son," Regina suggested heatedly. Ruby's eyes widened and a smirk spread on her face as the realization of what they'd just interrupted settled over her.

"Come on, Kiddo," she said as Regina spun on her heel and slammed the bedroom door, shutting out the rest of the world.

"Well, that was awk…" Emma hushed when Regina's lips crushed against hers again.

The brunette lost no heat due to their brief interruption, and the kiss turned into another playful power struggle that left them both burning in the conflagration of their passion. Regina's lips slowed and then were gone suddenly, and Emma opened her eyes to find Regina kneeling in front of her. She held her hips lightly and then pressed her lips against the tiny white scar the bullet left. When she lingered long enough to make Emma uncomfortable, she touched Regina's hair. Still the woman kissed her scar.

"Regina, what are you doing?" She whispered, slightly freaked out.

"Accepting you," Regina answered reverently. "Accepting this, accepting me. I can't change who you are, who you were born to be. I've never given myself to someone I love before, and I want to knowing in my heart exactly who she is," Regina elaborated breathily, her arousal already building again after their minor distraction.

Emma leaned over and captured her lips, holding her neck and cheeks firmly with her hands. Her body straightened as Regina stood and pulled away. She took three steps back, and Emma's mouth parted at the undiluted desire in those dark eyes. Regina kicked off her heels, dropping several inches in height. Her hands snagged the hem of her now untucked shirt and pulled it over her head, hair bouncing against her shoulders with the motion. Emma squinted at the tiny little scars that appeared in random places on Regina's stomach. She planned to kiss every single one before this afternoon ended.

She watched, greedily taking what Regina was offering her. Regina suddenly felt the urge to cover herself under Emma's gaze. She'd never been self-conscious about her body before this moment, and goose bumps erupted on her arms and chest, tightening her nipples painfully. After a moment, her pants joined her shirt on the floor. She stepped out of them. Emma recoiled, her body warring with her mind. She hungered to feel Regina's skin under her hands, but she recognized this as something Regina needed to do, to reveal herself on her own terms.

Emma calmed, and the other woman reached behind her and unclasped the silky blue bra. The straps moved haltingly down her arms and then joined the pile, leaving her full and firm breasts to Emma's hungry eyes.

Regina breathed heavily, clearly worried about Emma's thoughts and opinions. Emma stared, eyes moving over the olive toned flesh revealed to her without embarrassment. And then Regina stood before her completely naked, fidgeting with the urge to cover herself.

She'd undressed without preamble. There was no sexy flourish, no teasing, and it was the most sensual thing Emma had ever witnessed. When Regina had said she wanted to give herself to Emma, she hadn't expected this. She offered herself only, no fancy clothes or mansions or magic, just Regina. Emma cradled the responsibility and honor of such a gift in her hands nervously and moved forward in what felt like slow motion, like she pushed through invisible water. She tangled her hands in Regina's hair, tipping those dark eyes up to meet hers. She kissed her slowly, emotionally.

"Regina," she whispered against her lips, but her words failed her.

She wanted to tell her soon to be lover how beautiful she was, how much she wanted her, that she recognized the depth and vulnerability of what Regina had just offered her. They caught in her chest and clung tightly, so Emma forced the emotions into her kiss and gentle caresses, hoping Regina felt them. She did and relaxed into Emma's protective and reverent touch.

When Regina regained her confidence, Emma guided her towards the bed backwards. Regina sat when she felt the duvet on the back of her knees. She pressed her lips against Emma's scar again as she fumbled with the button of her jeans. Emma toed her boots off as Regina struggled against her shaking hands, nerves and adrenaline. Finally, Emma kicked her pants and underwear away and followed Regina to the head of the bed on her hands and knees.

Regina touched her cheek as she lay back. Emma moaned and Regina sighed when their bare bodies pressed into each other for the first time. Emma held her weight on her elbows and pressed her face into Regina's neck as her body adjusted to the new sensations pulling through it. Regina sensed Emma's need and simply wrapped her thin fingers around Emma's neck, scratching lightly at her hair line.

And then Emma was moving. Lips and teeth nipped neck and chest as she rolled to her to the side, taking her weight from Regina. The brunette arched slightly when those same lips sucked a nipple between them, followed by the flat of a hot tongue. Her hand covered Regina's other breast, gripping slightly and holding rather than splitting her attention as she lavished the nipple in her mouth with attention.

Regina tugged her hair, and Emma's mouth moved to hers easily. She brushed two fingers over the other nipple, satisfied with the small gasp the action elicited against her mouth. Regina's muscles bunched and coiled as the pressure built in her body, and Emma watched with enthralled eyes. Regina released her easily when Emma moved down her body, lips and hands everywhere. She kissed the thin white marks on Regina's stomach, her hips, her fingers, her neck.

Regina clutched her hair and pulled their lips together again. Emma's hands took over the exploration as her tongue dueled with Regina's. Knuckles skimmed over a flat stomach and flipped over naturally when they reached a tiny tuft of soft hair. Sharp nails scraped over her back when she cupped Regina, and she winced. The pain slowly turned into a delicious burn that fueled her desire.

She'd never made love to a woman before, but she understood the basics, knew what she liked. She started there and slid two fingers on either side of the Regina's clit. Hot liquid coated her fingers as she spread the slick folds without entering the woman. She repeated the motion several times, loving the gentle moans and painful scratches from the woman beneath her.

"Emma," Regina said suddenly, quietly. Emma glanced up to find glazed caramel eyes staring back. "I…" she started before her eyes slammed shut as a shudder pulled through her, evidence of her heightened and painful arousal. One hand clutched at her back and the other wrapped around her forearm. Emma waited for her to calm.

"Emma, please," her eyes opened with the words, and Emma gulped as her own stomach knotted uncomfortably.

Clumsily, Emma positioned her fingers at Regina's entrance. She studied Regina's face, watching it pinch and then release, tighten and fall slack as two fingers entered her hot wet velvet. Regina half-sighed, half-gasped when Emma's reached the knot of nerves inside of her and fingertips pressed upward. Emma built a rhythm slowly, fighting between the urge to take Regina as quickly as possible and the desire to absorb every second.

Regina made the decision for her when she felt a third finger enter her already clenching walls. She cried out, hips bucking wildly, informing Emma that the time for slow and steady had ended. Regina needed to be pushed over the edge and soon before she lost her mind. Regina's eyes flew open when the fingers inside of her pulled out and then slammed almost painfully to the hilt. She wanted to encourage Emma, but no words came out as Emma's hand met her again with the same amount of force, picking up speed with each thrust.

She ignored Regina's nails digging painfully into her back and focused on the staccato rhythm of her hand and Regina's hips. Regina needed something that she couldn't communicate, and Emma floundered. She saw the hunger, felt it herself. Her teeth clamped onto Regina's breast roughly, and the dark woman cried out at the delicious tendril of pain. She slammed into Regina with unnecessary force, repeating the motion with the exact amount of vigor only a few more times. And then Regina arched into her, violent sigh forced from her lungs as her walls clenched and sucked Emma's fingers.

Emma just watched with wide eyes as Regina came undone in her hands. She'd expected cursing or a shout, but only sharp gasps and heaving breathing filled the room as Regina twitched and spasmed, quivering through her orgasm. No matter which Regina she'd seen, bossy and sassy and bitchy and tender and sweet and loving, she'd always been vocal. This Regina, quiet and almost shy in her taking of pleasure, fascinated her. She was addicted.

Regina opened her caramel eyes slowly. Hair stuck to her forehead in wet spots, cheeks and chest flushed completely red. Emma took it all in, let it wash over her. Regina whimpered when Emma finally pulled her fingers free from her still clenched muscles. She swiped them over the comforter and returned to her obsessive observation of the woman beneath her.

The dark-haired woman looked so free. She tossed her hand above head and… giggled? Her eyes stared up at Emma's, wide and bright. Emma leaned down and kissed her softly. Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's head and neck, holding her in place tightly for a few minutes before using her foot as leverage to switch their positions.

Emma's stomach and chest pinched uncomfortably. "Ow. Ow," she said into Regina's mouth who jerked back immediately horrified.

"Did I hurt you? I'm so sorry, Em," she gushed, looking ten years younger. Her red cheeks and burning ears and disheveled hair endeared her further to the still recovering woman. She loved Regina like this.

"I'm okay, just maybe wait a few more weeks before laying on my stomach. Come here," Emma pulled the anxious woman to her side for a searing kiss.

Regina recovered from her worry quickly and straddled Emma's hips, much more demanding than Emma had been with her. Emma surrendered her neck to those lips with a wanton moan. Her fingers dug into Regina's sides, urging her forward. She shot upright when Regina bit her nipple roughly, nearly knocking Regina from her hips.

"Too hard?" Regina asked with a raised eyebrow, unapologetic. Emma shook her head and breathed hard. This woman actually loved her and wanted her? How the hell did she ever get so damn lucky?

"Maybe for today," Emma forced the response and leaned back onto the bed when she lost the fight for control as Regina licked the soar nipple.

Regina hummed and said no more. Unlike Emma's tentative exploration, Regina nudged her legs open confidently with a knee and settled between them. She ran a testing finger through the soaked lips and then followed it with her tongue. Emma grabbed her hair in a fist when she lapped in quick succession, giving Emma no mercy from the start.

"Fuck!" Emma cried and the bit her fist of her other hand.

Regina definitely knew what she was doing and wasn't shy about showing it. Her stomach already tightened painfully, and she whined around her knuckles. She hadn't even touched her with her fingers yet, but her tongue slid in and out of her, tip wiggling with each swipe. Regina's mouth pulled a way with a slurping sound and moved to her clit.

Emma bucked, and Regina pressed on her hip bones with both hands. She sucked firmly on the bundle of nerves, and Emma's hips tore from her grip and unabashedly rolled against her face. Regina pulled back slightly and held a firm tongue in Emma's slit, allowing her control of the pleasure. When the movements became erratic, Regina replaced her tongue with fingers and pressed firmly against the rough patch of nerves inside.

"Fuck! Fuck! Regina!" Emma's nonsensical cries filled the room. She pressed her shoulders into the bed, hips raising and then collapsing. She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes and mumbled her curses as she slowly came back to earth.

Regina allowed her a moment to calm, studying the glowing body above her. Without removing her fingers, she moved upwards, proudly wearing her arousal on her chin like a badge, and pressed a kiss onto parted lips. She supported herself on her elbow, careful not to lay on Emma's chest and stomach. Emma responded immediately, groaning at her own slightly salty taste where Regina's tart lipstick had previously been.

Regina grinned wicked into her lips and then slammed into her again. Emma flung her head back, and the lips moved to her neck. It was forceful and painful and delicious, and Emma squirmed and thrashed, scraping olive skin and head board with her nails. Each firm stroke brought her higher, and this time Regina watched her lose it, watched her fall over that edge. Her back arched, fingers grasping at the blanket beneath them. Regina gasped lightly when a flush of hot liquid covered her hand, and then…

"Oh fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Regina. Regina, fuck," Emma whispered over and over, voice thick and rasping. Regina smiled at the blissful babble and pulled her fingers free. Emma whined and pressed her face into Regina's chest, body jerking with another wave of pleasure.

Like Emma, Regina wiped the wetness on the blanket before she fell onto her back and brought Emma with her. She slipped an arm beneath Emma's neck and pulled held her head against her chest. Blonde hair tickled her stomach and breasts. Emma's arm fell limply over her hips, the hand attached shaking slightly with spent adrenaline and endorphins.

Regina waited patiently, trailing light fingertips up and down the trembling arm on her stomach.

"Regina," Emma whisper reverently, her voice at least an octave deeper than normal. "I've never… holy shit," she mumbled incoherently and shuddered again, but Regina understood the gist and smirk smugly.

Best orgasm ever, she said in her head using Emma's newly discovered post-coital tenor timber. She took a breath to respond with an arrogant comment, but Emma stopped her.

"I love you, Regina Mills," she murmured. It was low and breathy but confident and honest. Regina swallowed the tears suddenly burning her throat.

"I love you, too, Emma Swan," she returned in a nearly identical whisper. They fell silent again, adjusting to the new emotions pulling through them, the realization that this could be their life forever once they tore down the remaining obstacles, namely their parents.

"Sleep now," Emma whined and was met with a chuckle.

"It's in the middle of the afternoon, Darling," the woman beneath her protested.

"Ten minutes," Emma negotiated. Regina caved.

"Ten minutes," she agreed and ran her fingers through sweaty blonde hair. "Sleep. I'll wake you," Regina assured tenderly and rested her cheek on Emma's head.

Her thoughts wondered to her mother, ironically. What would Cora have said if she'd seen the unsettling intimacy in which her daughter just partook? She kissed Emma's hair, smiling when she was greeted with calm even puffs of air across her chest.

She'd taken a chance on Emma Swan and found more than she'd ever hoped, not just in a partner but in herself. There wasn't a thing in this world she wouldn't do to protect it.

"You're wrong, Mother. It's strength," she whispered to no one, eyes slipping shut at the profound truth behind her statement.


	24. Jump the Gun

Hello My Doves! Finally got this edited! Thanks for the reviews and follows!

Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: Beautiful with You by Halestorm, Slow Goodbye by Lesley Roy, All Over Me by Lindsey Harper

* * *

Ten minutes turned into three hours, and Regina shivered as the chill of evening spread over her exposed skin. One glance at the window told her that she'd fallen asleep and pulled a grumble from her chest. She craned her neck and looked at Emma, unmoved from the position in which she'd fallen asleep. She shook her shoulder lightly.

"Emma, it's time to wake up, Darling," Regina whispered into her hair and smiled when Emma grumbled and pressed her face into her chest.

"Not been ten minutes," she grumbled, eliciting a chuckle from Regina who turned an eye to the clock on her nightstand.

"It's been three hours, and I no longer feel the arm beneath you," Regina informed, not really upset about her arm, not when Emma's body felt so wonderful pressed against her side.

"Shit," Emma cursed and raised her head. Her wild blonde hair fell into her face, obscuring her features, and Regina brushed it back. She loved Emma's hair.

"Hey," she said as a burst of timidity crept into her chest as she caught dark caramel eyes studying her intently.

"Hey," Regina answered with an equal amount of shyness. "How are you feeling? You didn't pull anything?" She steered the conversation towards a safe subject.

"I'll let you know when I get up," Emma answered honestly, thankful for the icebreaker. They struggled to talk to one another, but they certainly didn't suck at communicating.

"I'm fairly certain Eva will not approve of our mid-afternoon activities, though," Emma continued, a smirk on her face.

"Your bullheaded nature is widely known," Regina countered and weaved her hand into Emma's hair.

The gentle caress melted the ice of awkwardness, and Emma leaned into the lips below hers. Tenuous at first, it grew in intensity, tongues searching and teeth nipping, until Emma pulled back breathlessly.

"Damn," she puffed. "I will never get tired of that," Emma grinned and then lay her head on Regina's chest again. She came face to face with an ugly purple bruise shaped like her teeth on the side of Regina's right breast, and her blood ran cold. A delicate fingertip traced the mark.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," she said carefully, ashamed to look at Regina for the apology. After everything Regina had gone through, she now lay in the arms of someone who continued to mix pain with pleasure. The idea made Emma sick.

"You didn't," Regina recoiled at the words and craned her neck to catch Emma's eyes. She slipped her hand beneath Emma's chin and pulled it off her chest, fingers immediately finding that untamed mane again.

"You did nothing that I didn't want. I…" Regina closed her eyes, almost embarrassed to admit her quirk aloud. "I need a little pain to finish most times. I always have. I've never considered why. It doesn't matter because trudging through that won't change it. Trust me, Emma. Trust yourself. If you go too far, I'll pull you back, and I believe with unwavering certainty that you will stop yourself."

Regina held her breath as Emma simply looked into her eyes, hearing and considering her confession seriously. Would Emma think her disgusting and broken beyond repair? She blinked rapidly, containing her sudden angry tears before they pooled.

"You should have said," Emma accepted quietly. Regina breathed. Emma judged nothing, just sought understanding.

"You figured it out," Regina congratulated with a smirk that faded slowly when Emma turned her eyes away from hers and studied the mark again. Something lurked there.

"Em?" _Please don't leave me_, she finished silently.

"I'm here," the blonde responded, their trademark reassurance phrase when they had nothing else to offer. Regina played with her hair nervously, waiting for the rest. After a long pause, it came.

"I'm not good with rough, which is weird because I'm me, and everyday Emma is all about the rough and tumble of life. I mean, don't get me wrong, angry sex might be one of the best things to ever happen to this world, but lover Emma is gentle. I feel everything too much not to be, I guess." Emma puffed an exasperated sigh across her chest.

"What I'm trying to say is that it might take me a little bit to get used to, but," she paused and looked into Regina's eyes, making sure she could keep the promise she hadn't yet spoken. "I want you to feel good, always, so if that's what you need, I'll do it, but I know that it will take me a while to get comfortable with it. Just promise you'll stop me if I seriously hurt you." She studied Regina's shining eyes and knew that despite her babbling, she'd said something right.

"I will, I promise. I'll try to be gentler," Regina mumbled quickly, and Emma actually laughed out loud. Regina seemed as uncomfortable with the idea of being consistently tender as she did with being rough.

"We jumped the gun on this one, didn't we?" Emma asked with a smile that told Regina that she hadn't minded.

"Perhaps. I blame you entirely," Regina sniffed and fixed her with twinkling eyes and a stern expression.

"What? How in the hell is this one my fault?" Emma bit on the offered hook just to see where it would go.

"You seduced me with your feminine wiles and exquisitely developed biceps," Regina squeezed the body part in question and donned a girlishly offended expression, her eyes the picture of innocence. She was using her royal training of masking emotions to fuck with her, Emma realized.

"And what if I did this right now?" Emma asked and tighten her bicep, pulling her fist upward slightly to make it bulge and show off the toned muscle beneath. She glanced at her arm, ensuring it did what she demanded and then flicked her eyes back to Regina's.

"Oh Sheriff Swan, I do believe it an abuse of power," Regina sighed faintly and made a show of resisting and covering her eyes as she trailed hot finger tips down Emma's arm. Emma cracked, her easy laughter filling the room.

"You sound like a Jane Austen character," Emma exclaimed, and Regina allowed a deep chuckle to rumble from her throat. It felt good to laugh again.

"Though I enjoy her novels, I find her portrayal of aristocratic society utterly ridiculous. People in your world actually lived in a such a manner?" Her question was serious, but her tone was light.

"I guess. Oscar Wilde wrote a play called _The Importance of Being Ernest_, which pretty much satirizes the entire culture. So, I guess it's pretty accurate at least in some aspects, but Victorian England also had some of the most perverse that society had to offer as well. So, I'm going to assume there was probably a lot more happ… What?" Emma realized that Regina stared at her with shocked eyes and parted lips. Her ears burned in embarrassment.

"I've never thought of you as well-read or cultured. I see that you've hidden more behind your bluster and arrogance than I anticipated," Regina explained guardedly, not wanting to confess that she'd thought Emma a moronic brute with a one-dimensional intelligence that encompassed only her ability to hunt down criminals.

"Oh," Emma read between the lines anyway and averted her eyes to the chest beneath her. She traced one of the tiny scars absently. Regina waited.

"I love books. Maybe not as much as Belle, but they were always there for me when I needed an escape. I wish I had more time to read as an adult," Emma smiled shyly, eyes glazed with nostalgia.

"No matter where I went, I always made sure there was a college within walking distance. I snuck into literature lectures when I needed to calm down and escape for a little while. It was easy enough to break into the university's website and download the syllabus," Emma grinned smugly, clearly proud of her hacking skills.

"You never enrolled?" Regina prodded gently, wanting more of Emma's past, to know every aspect of her life.

"Nah," she wrinkled her nose. "I wanted to for a long time, but I never finished high school, dropped out when I was 17 and ran away from my last foster home. I eventually got my G.E.D. and took some computer classes, figured if I was going to have a skill, it should be that one. Money was always tight except for the last three or four years before I came to Storybrooke, but I couldn't slow down or it would have become tight again. So, I just never went, and now…" she waved her hand, sadness filling her eyes.

"Guess I'll never leave Storybrooke now, huh," she tried to smile and accept her situation, but it stopped short of her eyes.

"_Trapped._ _I've felt trapped since I got here." _Emma's confession from that night she'd broken down on the treadmill flashed into Regina's mind.

"Emma, when all of this is over, if you need to leave, Henry and I…" Regina never finished her sentence before Emma's lips were on hers in a silencing kiss.

"I won't leave you or Henry or my parents, not now that I've finally found a family," Emma declared, leaving no room for discussion, and Regina fell for her all over again.

"I was going to say that Henry and I could come with you. He'd have an opportunity to see this world. We could come visit your parents and Ruby and Granny every month. Henry could spend summers here with his grandparents while we traveled to places that didn't require a coat 9 months out of the year," Regina painted the scene with a distant look in her eyes, a cross between excitement and reticence.

"You'd do that?" Her soft voice and wide eyes displayed her surprise.

"I'd do anything for you, Emma Swan," Regina unknowingly repeated the vow she'd given Emma the night of her drunken confession, and Emma's face tightened with emotion. She hadn't believed Regina that night due to the alcohol and heightened emotional situation, but she believed in her now. Regina touched her cheek with four fingertips.

"Think about it. No decision must be made this moment," Regina comforted her conflicted lover. Emma fell silent in thought.

"We should go get Henry," she finally said guiltily. What their son must think of their heated dismissal of his presence.

"We should," Regina agreed.

Emma rolled away and groaned. "Ow," she said, more as a statement than an interjection. Regina sat up, concerned but not worried for Emma's immediate health status.

"Definitely jumped the gun," Emma grumbled and rubbed her stomach lightly.

"Next time you'll more carefully consider your seduction of an unsuspecting woman," Regina tossed at her from her gigantic closet and then disappeared into the bathroom with a fresh pair of black slacks and white button-up shirt still on the hanger, a white lacy bra and matching panty set dangling from the finger beneath the hanger hook.

Emma smiled and then sat up slowly, wincing and groaning as her still healing muscles pinched and bit from the inside. She snagged her pants from the end of the bed and pulled them on as far as her thighs and then leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees. Her head dropped into her hands as she fought against the pain.

Regina emerged from the bathroom and padded across the floor quickly. "Em?"

"I regret nothing. Nothing, I tell you," Emma joked at the expense of her pain, knowing she'd have made the same choice a thousand times now that she realized how it would end, the pleasure part and the pain part.

"I should think not, Dear," Regina offered cockily and shoved three maroon colored pills into her line of sight. Emma accepted them and the glass of water gratefully and then resumed her hunched over position.

Regina disappeared for a moment, shuffled around the room, returned. "Emma, I need you to sit up for a second."

Emma complied silently, and Regina slid her bra straps over her arms, followed by the black AC/DC band shirt she'd worn earlier. "Okay, lean," Regina allowed and slipped onto the bed behind her.

She hooked the flimsy material at her back, reached beneath her arms and tucked her modest breasts comfortably into the cups before tracing every inch of the material and ensuring it wasn't rolled or twisted. She stretched the shirt over Emma's head with some effort then straightened and smoothed it with the same care she had the bra. Her lips pressed into Emma's shoulder, eyes on Emma's pained face. Definitely jumped the gun, she thought.

She pushed off the bed and knelt in front of her new lover. The socks and boots presented by far the easiest challenge in dressing Emma Swan. She gripped Emma's knees when she finished, catching her eyes. "When you're ready," she allowed the sentence to hang openly between them and then moved back to her closet.

She slid into soft leather boots with five inch heels and settled them around the middle of her calves. Emma hadn't moved so she slipped into the bathroom, brushed and worked mousse into her hair, and applied some basic make up. When she returned to the bedroom, Emma sat upright but still hadn't stood. The Ibuprofen must have begun working, lessening the pain to something manageable.

"Hold onto me," Regina commanded, and Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's neck.

"Next time I tell you not to pick up heavy boxes while recovering from surgery caused by a projectile tearing through your insides, perhaps you will listen," Regina chided gently, knowing for sure now that not all of Emma's pain came from their lovemaking.

She lifted her from the bed with firm hands beneath her shoulders. Emma clung to her neck until the pain ebbed and then released her. Regina pulled her jeans over her hips and then buttoned and zipped them for her. They nodded in agreement that is was time to move despite Emma's pain.

At the top of the stairs, Emma slipped her fingers between Regina's and held her hand all the way to the Mercedes. The second Regina slid behind the wheel Emma's hand appeared on her thigh and stayed there until she exited the vehicle in front of Granny's. Regina met her on the passenger side, moving much more quickly, and reached for her hand but not taking it. She sensed Emma's unspoken need to be physically connected to her but not the reason. The reason mattered very little, only giving Emma what she needed mattered to Regina. Emma threaded her fingers between Regina's smaller, warmer ones and smiled.

They sucked at talking, but they communicated very well, Emma thought for the second time that day.

Every eye in Granny's turned towards the door anxiously when they entered, hands still clasped. The diner was full, but a somber tension filled the air. They'd missed something yet again. Ruby smirked behind the counter and raised a suggestive eyebrow. Regina rolled her eyes. Snow jumped up from her stool and stomped towards them. Her face was blotted and puffy like she'd been crying for some time. Definitely missed something.

"Where the hell have you been?" She screeched, and the two lovers recoiled in unison.

"Ruby wouldn't let me call you. What exactly were you were doing that was so important that you couldn't take a damn phone call!" She heaved, and Regina sneered, obvious to everyone she'd taken enough flak from the woman who nearly had her killed unjustly.

"Well, Dear Snow, I was fu…"

"Regina!" Emma hissed and then cleared her throat, nodding towards Henry intently observing the interaction. Regina cocked her head to the side, eyes cold, and then brushed passed the distraught woman to hug her son. Her fingers clung to Emma's until the last possible second, and then they parted reluctantly. It was only a moment's hesitation, but anyone with a sharp enough eye saw it.

"What happened, Mary Margaret?" Emma changed the subject before her mother read too much into the fact that she and Regina had been holding hands.

"Cora," Snow whined and then burst into tears. Emma's eyes widened at the dramatic reaction. She felt bad for Mary Margaret's obvious pain but felt no compulsion to comfort her. David saved her from the obligation by wrapping his body around his wife.

"She killed a woman named Johanna and told us her endgame. She wants Rumpelstiltskin's dagger so that she can give it to Regina," he explained as he escorted Snow to a stool at the bar next to Leroy. The dwarf placed a supportive hand on his princess' shoulder and rubbed gently.

Ruby fidgeted as though she might reach out and comfort her friend, but her dark eyes hardened. She turned away and busied herself with wiping the counter behind the bar. Regina had said nothing about Snow's execution sentence and Ruby's perceived murder, but Granny sat her down the day she was released from the hospital and confided everything, knowing word would eventually reach her ears. Better it come honestly than by rumor, Granny said. Since then, Ruby struggled between her old allegiances and her new. It was up in the air how it would end.

"Johanna?" Regina broke the silence. "Your mother's chambermaid, your nursemaid?" She asked, grasping for details of their old life.

"Yes," Snow squeaked and cried harder. David's face tightened with the knowledge that he could do nothing for his wife but be there if she needed him.

"How have we not found her yet? I mean, how hard is it to find a powerful sorceress in a small town that no one can leave?" Emma steered the discussion back to the source of the problem and crossed to Regina and Henry.

"Ruby, I need a burger and fries, stat," she whispered to the waitress when she slumped onto a stool. If they were obligated to stay, she was going to eat. Regina clicked her tongue at the greasy food and then sighed.

"Gotcha. And a grilled chicken salad with bleu cheese crumble, almonds, raspberry vinaigrette dressing, and two coffees," Ruby prattled Regina's order mechanically and disappeared into the kitchen.

"She may be able to cross," she confessed quickly once Ruby disappeared, though the wolf probably heard every word. Ruby struggled to remain objective and refrain from blaming her for Belle's condition, but sometimes she did when she had nothing but anger to cling to. Regina allowed it and picked up the pieces as best she could.

When everyone except Henry and Emma looked at her as though she'd betrayed them all over again, she elaborated.

"I've been researching the curse that brought us here, and it says nothing about those who enter the barrier without being cursed. Emma and Henry cross with no side effects. I'm certain I could as well since I was never cursed," she finished when Ruby reappeared. She expected a glare from the young woman, but Ruby sat two steaming mugs before them and then touched her hand. Lacey must have had a good day, she thought.

"Then you and Emma should cross the line and search for her," David suggested.

"No," Emma said firmly, ending any further strains of the idea. "If Cora shows up while we are gone, the only person who stands a chance against her will be miles away with no magic beyond the line, and no one should go out looking for her alone."

Emma nodded when everyone appeared to agree with her logic. David drew a breath to offer another suggestion when a blaring of obscene rap music interrupted him.

"What about up in the candy sto' that chocolate chocolate make it melt. Whips and chains, handcuffs, smack a little booty up with my belt. Scream help play my game. Dracula man, I'll get my fangs. Horseback and I'll get my reigns. School teacher let me get my brains."

Regina jumped off the stool and shoved adrenaline-filled fingers into her tight pocket. Why the hell did she keep putting it in tight pockets? Ruby spit her beer over the counter and onto Leroy, but the dwarf stared at Regina, completely unaffected.

"I wanna, li-li-li-lick you from yo' head to yo' toes. And I wanna, move from the bed down to the down to the to the flo'. Then I wanna, ahh ahh - you make it so good I don't wanna leave. But I gotta, kn-kn-kn-know what-what's your fan-ta-ta-sy."

"Hello!" Regina barked without looking to see who had called, cheeks flushed.

Emma's face, neck and chest turned ten shades of red, and she hid behind her coffee, completely convinced that her son was scarred for life. Snow's eyes flitted between the two obviously embarrassed women, mouth open and eyes wide in horror as she finally realized what had taken them so long on their important mission. David, well everyone really, held a similar expression.

Ruby cackled, breaking the silence, and Emma raised a concerned eyebrow. Was Ruby drunk? She decided to speak with Regina about it later. Losing Belle was taking it's toll on everyone who had cared for her, including her son, but no one felt it more than Ruby.

"Well, that explains a lot," Leroy said, drained his beer, and shook his head with eyes wide open as if clearing it of an image.

Emma rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee. Her face and chest cooled as Regina spoke quietly into her phone, despite the blatant stares in her direction. Regina ended the call and turned around triumphantly. Her heeled feet ate the distance between her and Emma excitedly. She set her phone on the counter with one hand, turned her son's head with the other and then grabbed Emma's face with both hands and pressed a meaningful kiss to her lips. Yep, cat out of the bag, so might as well roll with it.

"You're a genius," she praised breathily when she pulled back. Emma accepted it gracefully, though she hadn't a clue what she'd done.

"That was Stacy," Regina explained and faced the rest of the group. "Emma thought perhaps Cora would find shelter in one of the abandoned buildings or homes outside of Storybrooke proper but within the barrier to retain her magic. Stacy investigated with the utility companies using her connections with the mayor's office as leverage. She's found two possible locations. Both have been abandoned for years but have maintained electricity and water. They both belong to Gold."

Finally, everyone felt as though they grasped something solid and breathed freely for a moment.

"Why wasn't I informed of your plan?" David queried, a hard edge in his voice.

"David, sit down and drink your beer," Ruby slurred bitterly and slammed a glass on the bar at his hip with enough force to shatter it.

Regina was around the counter before anyone breathed. She wrapped her arm around Ruby's waist and disappeared into the kitchen before the amber liquid dripped over the counter and splashed against the linoleum. Emma stood, forcing her pain into a dull ache in light of her new anger.

"Don't forget, David. I'm still the damn sheriff, and the only reason I've allowed you to stay in the position is because Ruby doesn't want it anymore. Now get out. Everyone, get the hell out! Meet up at Town Hall at 10 tomorrow morning if you want to help search the two properties," Emma ordered, and people slapped money onto the counter and filed out the door, not willing to test the patience of Snow and David's daughter.

Snow lingered. She wanted to spend more time with Emma, even an angry Emma. She patted David's hand and sent him towards the door.

"I'm staying. I'll be home soon," she informed her husband and then kissed him.

She said nothing else as she moved behind the bar and snagged some rags beneath the counter. Emma watched her mop up the mess, gathering the glass in the stained towel. She disappeared into the kitchen and then returned with Emma's burger and a foam box a few minutes later. Granny must have abandoned their food on the grill when Regina brought Ruby back.

"Bacon cheeseburger, with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise," she said proudly and set the foam box in front of the stool Regina had previously occupied. "I thought she'd like to eat it later," Snow explained without expectation and then disappeared from Emma's sight. A minute later, a hand slid a hot chocolate in front of Henry and vanished quickly.

She heard her moving around the diner, though, stacking plates and silverware into a bus pan. She disappeared into the kitchen with the full tub. When she didn't return immediately, Emma assumed she washed and dried them as well.

"Hey Kid," Emma said and then bit into her burger.

"Hey Emma," he returned and sipped his hot cocoa.

"Emma?" he asked, big eyes looking up at her. She hummed, mouth full of food.

"Is Ruby going to be okay?" He pondered sadly. Emma froze. She and Regina had been so focused on each other and their budding relationship that they hadn't even asked Henry how he felt about the Belle/Lacey situation and his moms dating.

"She's hurting, Kid. I'm sure she'll pull through it, but it's going to take some time," she sat her burger down and cleaned her fingers on a paper napkin. "Belle's gone, but she still sees her everyday. It's tough. I'm sure you feel some of the same things. You and Belle got real close, real fast. You doing okay?" She asked, praying Henry opened up.

"I'm doing better than Ruby, but I've been through something like this before with Mom," he admitted hesitantly.

"What do you mean, Buddy?" Emma's forehead scrunched in confusion, drawing blanks about his meaning.

"You said never to call her The Evil Queen again," he said sadly, shutting her out. Her heart clenched.

"It's okay if it's in the past, right? It already happened," she rubbed his back, soothing him into security.

"Well, when she was acting like The Evil Queen, she still looked like my mom, you know. When she tried to bribe me with things to get me to stay with her, it was confusing because she used to do stuff like that for me all the time, surprises and presents just because. She was a good mom, and then she started acting like The Evil Queen. She doesn't do that anymore, but it's still confusing because I remember her being evil and when things don't make sense to me, I go back to that." He gushed openly and honestly in a way only a child could but with a voice and understanding far beyond his years.

Everything made perfect sense now.

"Hey," she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his head. "I promise you, Henry, she is not evil anymore. You don't need to worry about that, and if you want to tell her what you just told me, it's okay. She'll understand, I promise she will," Emma comforted her son the best way she knew how.

"So, I can talk about it again?" He asked into her neck and wrapped his arms around her waist. She released a silent hiss at the pressure on her already aching torso but said nothing and held her son tightly. It was worth the pain.

"Yeah, if you talk about it like this it's okay, Henry. It just really hurts her when you call her evil. She's not, and she's trying very hard not to use magic. She only uses it for good now, like poofing Ruby to the hospital when she was hurt. She saved my life with magic because she got me help so quickly when I was shot, did you know that?"

Henry shook his head but said nothing as all of the new information washed over him. He struggled to see the world as the mass of grey it actually was instead of the black and white of his book of stories. Emma held him tightly, letting him know it was okay to question things, to feel pain and to rely on her for support. She helped him understand the grey.

A movement caught her eye. Mary Margaret stood at the door of the kitchen with silent tears sliding down her cheeks. Emma knew not how much of the conversation she'd heard, but a ray of hope warmed her heart as she held the other woman's gaze. Just maybe, she'd helped her mother understand, too.


	25. I'll be Home

Hello Dovies! So, I totally stole a thing from season 3 for this chapter, but it just worked so damn well. It just worked, and I couldn't resist. Thank you for the reviews and follows. I find myself dragging heels and adding more fluff because I love writing this story so very much. Will definitely be another.

I ended up breaking this into two installments. This is the first, the second will be up as soon as I finish editing.

Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: All of You by Jasmine Thompson, I Hate it When You See Me Cry by Halestorm, Gravity by Sara Bareilles

* * *

"Damn it, Regina, I'm not an invalid. I'm going," Emma huffed and followed her out of Regina's bedroom. She wore nothing but a grey tank top and blue basketball shorts, Regina a black silk pant and tank top pajama set. They'd been awake for ten minutes, kissing the first five and arguing the second.

Regina stormed towards the kitchen, and Emma followed. Neither of them had slept much, taking turns sitting with Ruby in the living room. She babbled about Belle for an hour until she passed out and then screamed at random intervals in her sleep for another four about wanting her heart back. They were both thankful for their impromptu nap yesterday, but the lack of sleep made them want to tear each other's throats out.

"Lower your voice. Henry won't be up for another hour at least," Regina commanded.

"Exactly, so why the hell are we?" Emma sniped as they reached the bottom of the stairs. She was sore. She never denied it. She was going after Cora with everyone else.

"Emma, please, may we resume this after I've had coffee?" Regina dismissed her and bolted towards the kitchen, bare feet slapping against the hardwood floors.

"No, no we may not. I'm going, Regina. Whose going to lead the other team? Leroy?" Emma pushed at Regina's buttons, not quite sure why.

Regina whipped around and crossed her arms. "Do ten jumping jacks and ten push ups," she commanded. "Without stopping or wincing," she added, smug grin growing at Emma's hesitance.

"I can't," she mumbled, crossing her arms defensively. What good was a savior if she was useless? Regina softened at Emma's frustration, arms falling to her sides as she closed the distance between them. She touched Emma's coiled forearm.

"Then you are as effective as your mother's cookies," Regina drove the point home, trying to hang onto her ire. Emma's jaw clenched, mouth pulling downward. She knew it to be true but that didn't mean she wanted to hear it out loud. Regina softened again

"You will heal, Emma, and I will gladly give you all the freedom you want. Until then, I will adamantly protest and pray that you heed my concern. I'm not paranoid, nor do I exert energy fighting unnecessary battles," Regina started logically, stopped, sighed, closed her eyes.

"Please." It wasn't a question. It was barely a breath, and Emma felt herself giving in despite her irritation and stubbornness.

"What if I let David lead the second team and come with you?" Emma negotiated, and Regina lifted her startlingly deep eyes.

"Emma, please," she repeated the supplication.

Emma melted and wrapped her arms around Regina's back, trapping her hand against her chest. Regina's face nestled into her neck, fingers playing at her collarbone, other hand on her hip. The painful fingers digging into her lower back sealed the deal. It was unconscious and spoke volumes to the very real fear beneath the arrogance and stately commands she'd been tossing at Emma for the past ten minutes.

"Okay," Emma whispered into her hair. The tension dissipated almost instantly as Regina's muscles relaxed, allowing her body to mould into Emma's. She wrapped her arms around Emma's hips, mindful of her still throbbing stomach and held her tightly.

"Thank you," Regina answered after an undetermined amount of time and pulled back, taking Emma's hand as they continued to the kitchen.

Emma nearly cried when the strong salty aroma of bacon met her halfway through the foyer. She beamed at Ruby who stood at the stove tending the tasty strips of pig meat and bee lined for the coffee pot. She poured two cups and handed one to Regina who stood at Ruby's side, chin propped on her shoulder, mouth moving inaudibly. Emma perched on the stool across the island and sipped her coffee. Of course it burned her mouth, but more than that it was so strong and bitter that it brought tears to her eyes.

"Holy shit, Rubes! A cup of this will keep me awake for a week," Emma muttered absently, not really expecting a response, and dumped sugar into the black brew. She stared at it a moment and then moved the to fridge and added some milk for good measure.

"And what do you plan to do, puke on her then cry? I need warriors, Miss Lucas, not blubbering fools," Regina spat moved away from Ruby and followed her example of sweetening the stout java, though not nearly as much as Emma had. She hummed into the bitter liquid and sat beside her lover. She ran her fingers through Emma's tangled hair. The combination of cruel and tender unsettled Emma.

Ruby slammed the tongs onto the stove and braced herself on the counter. "Fine," she seethed through clenched teeth. Had she been facing them, Emma knew she'd see wolf yellow in eyes.

"Darling, if you desperately need something to keep you busy, Miss Lucas has just agreed to carry the boxes from my vault. Perhaps you could borrow David's truck?" Regina compromised further. Emma reluctantly agreed to stay behind, so the least she could do was help her keep busy.

"Tell me again why we're bringing all of the creepy dangerous stuff to your house," Emma grumbled. It was better than nothing, but she wasn't letting Regina off the hook that easily.

"It's not coming in the house, especially my double-headed viper. The shed outback will do for now. I'll enchant it once everything is moved. I doubt Cora would return for anything, but if she does, I want to know about it."

"You have a two-headed viper?" Ruby finally turned from the stove, hand on her cocked him. Her face was a mixture of terrified, shocked, and intrigued. She still looked visibly pissed, but her curiosity overcame the harsher emotions, barely.

"What she said," Emma agreed and sipped her now syrupy coffee, unaware that it'd been that very snake that had killed her grandfather. Regina turned her attention to Ruby.

"Would you like to see it?" She asked sweetly and leaned forward, lulling her into a false sense of security. Ruby nodded enthusiastically.

"Stop changing my ring tone," Regina demanded and straightened. Ruby's face fell.

"Nuh uh, it's too much fun," Ruby rejected her offer far more easily than anticipated. Emma snorted.

"It is pretty funny," she agreed, earning a dark glare from her lover.

"Very well, at least tell me when you possibly have access to my phone without my knowledge," Regina lowered her demands.

"Whenever you're not looking," Ruby answered nonchalantly, and Regina bristled. Emma hid a knowing smile behind her coffee cup, but Regina saw it and narrowed her eyes.

"Are you accomplice to this continuous debacle, Miss Swan?" Emma's eyes widened and she shook her head fervently.

"Nope. This started when I was in a coma, remember?" She defended herself lightly and winked at Ruby. "I just happen to think it's hilarious."

Emma grinned when Regina smacked her playfully with the back of her hand. Finding no traction on the subject, she stood, stretched and kissed Emma's hair. "I'm meeting Stacy at 8:30 to go over maps of the area. If Henry wakes before then, please make sure he at least eats some fruit with that grease," she ordered Emma and left the kitchen.

"You know what she's doing, don't you?" Ruby growled, shoulders tight with tension. When Emma remained silent, she continued, "She's removing her weaknesses from the equation. I heard you in the foyer." She said no more, and Emma sipped her coffee.

"I know. Doesn't mean she's wrong, just a pain in the ass. We'd just get in the way in states we're in." Emma reluctantly conceded

Ruby scooped the bacon onto a plate, covered it with foil and sat it on the back of the stove. She then leaned on the island conspiratorially. "So, what is Regina Mills like in the sack? You won't believe how many years this very phrase has been uttered in Granny's diner," Ruby winked, letting Emma know that she was only half-serious. If they were left behind together, Ruby intended to distract herself as much as possible.

Emma leaned forward in the same manner, pegging Ruby with serious eyes. "Not happening," Emma whispered and then smiled at Ruby's disappointed face.

"That good, huh?" she joked. Emma raised an eyebrow and sipped her coffee. Though fake, Ruby's humor and attempted smiles infected both of them enough to loosen the knots in their stomachs.

"Was it with Belle?" She asked quietly. Emma Swan was not known for her subtly. Ruby sighed and picked at the pristine marble.

"Not where skill is concerned, but I think it might be the only time it ever really mattered to me," Ruby admitted honestly, sadness settling into her chest. Emma's face scrunched in her unsatisfying victory, now for the kill.

"Is that what had you so upset last night?" Emma pushed. Ruby retreated into herself, came back, crossed her arms.

"Yes, partly. Lacey was released yesterday. I'm fairly certain it wouldn't take much to get her into bed, but she's not her, you know? Lacey wears her sexuality like a shield. It's disconcerting because it's so similar to hers, but it's blatant, you know. Right there in your face. Belle didn't even realize how sensual she was, but it was just as passionate. I'm sorry that I wrecked your night," Ruby added sheepishly. She hadn't stayed at Regina's since Emma had been released from the hospital, giving them the space they needed to adjust to the new living situation.

"Rubes, you needed us. Don't ever apologize for that. We're here, Regina especially. I'm a little clueless sometimes when you get all grumpy and dark, but she gets…" she waved her hand as she searched for the word. "She gets whatever it is that you're going through."

"When did the nightmares start?" Emma changed the subject.

"The night I went back to Granny's. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to burden her when she had so much other stuff going on. This thing with her mom is getting to her, and it's not going to end well for either of them. I mean, best case Cora is imprisoned for the rest of her life; worst case, she's killed and maybe takes some of us with her. Either way, Regina suffers." Ruby's face tightened with anger and sadness, and she turned back to the popping bacon.

"Mary Margaret said almost the same thing last night when we were waiting for you and Regina," Emma commented darkly and moved to the coffee pot for a refill. "She's worried about you, too," Emma added carefully. Ruby had confided in her so far, but like Regina, the wolf woman slammed the door in her face as quickly as she opened it if she misspoke only once.

"Well, she shouldn't be. We don't even know each other anymore," the wolf bit.

"Regina and I are having the same problem," Emma admitted hesitantly. Who else did she have to talk to, her mother? Granny? She was surrounded by people whom she loved but didn't trust. If Regina trusted Ruby with her secrets, then who was she to question that?

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked and buttered toast. She sat the plate of bacon and scrambled eggs in front of Emma and then tossed a fork across the marble. Her slim hips backed against the counter beside the stove, leaning and waiting for Emma to continue.

"Since I woke up. I mean, we've said a lot of things, secrets and feelings mostly, but as far as having a normal conversation about stupid things… Hey, honey, how was your day? It just isn't coming like it did before. It's frustrating." She emphasized her words with a sharp jab into her eggs. Her eyes slipped shut with a moan when they hit her tongue.

"Have you and Regina ever had a conversation that didn't end in an argument and lots of eye sex?" Ruby asked seriously. Emma ignored her and pointed to the eggs with her fork.

"Oh my god, you fried these in the bacon grease, didn't you?" Ruby smirked. "Don't worry. I won't tell on you." She shoved more into her mouth.

"Don't force it," Ruby said suddenly. "You can't go back to the way you were before because you are both different people, now. The values and gestures are the same, the core, what you fell in love with, but you're different. That's why I could never love Lacey. She's not Belle because their cores, their souls I guess, aren't the same. You and Regina, you're solid. People started taking bets on when you'd realize it like a month after you showed up in Storybrooke. It'll come," Ruby assured and dipped her head shyly, smiling despite her pain. She was truly happy for her two closest friends.

The women fell silent as Emma chewed her food and Ruby's words. They made a lot of sense, and she felt a little lighter for having spoken the issue aloud. Regina returned a few minutes later, eyebrow raised at the silence but said nothing. She was freshly showered, hair and makeup fixed to perfection, sporting that damn plum lipstick that made Emma turn stupid. She wore a knee length black skirt and a black long sleeved V-neck made of some kind of stretchy fabric that Emma didn't know the name of but thanked anyway for the way it wrapped tightly around Regina's body. Black tights and ridiculously high and shiny black heels completed the ensemble. Emma smirked, only her Regina willingly walked into a witch fight dressed in business attire.

"You look beautiful," Emma leaned towards her and whispered when she primly sat atop the stool beside her once more. Ruby focused on the omelet she prepared in olive oil and pretended not to hear.

Regina sucked in a breath, opened her mouth to speak, closed it, and then blushed. She slid from the stool and retreated to the coffee pot and poured another cup slowly. Emma simply watched, not sure if she should have been amused or guilty that she'd made Regina so uncomfortable. The older woman touched her shoulder as she returned to her stool.

"Thank you," she cleared her throat. Emma smiled at her shyness, remembering the same tentative acceptance of love and pleasure Regina had shown yesterday.

Ruby handed her a mushroom and onion omelet a few moments later, saving her from the awkwardness. The younger women wrinkled their nose at the healthy concoction and munched into their bacon.

"Ruby," Regina caught her attention. "Could you give us a moment, please?" she asked politely, and the wolf nodded as she pushed her hips away from the counter. Emma swallowed the bacon in her mouth, sensing the difficult conversation ahead.

"What's wrong?" She touched Regina's cheek with her knuckles.

"I need to give you something in the event Mother and I disagree on the terms of her surrender," Regina stately politically, and Emma saw through every single word to the fear lurking behind those caramel eyes.

"Okay," she conceded, not sure if she actually wanted to.

She jumped back, knocking her stool over when Regina stuck her hand inside her own chest, grunted, and pulled out her heart. It was almost completely black, but red and pink tendrils of pulsing light swirled in and out of the darkness, proving that Regina still had good inside of her.

"What the hell?" Emma started slowly. "Regina, what the actual hell?" Her voice rose an octave in her pending hysteria.

"I'm ensuring I come home," Regina said seriously. Her mother terrified her in a way no other opponent had. Cora didn't need magic to best her because she already controlled a piece of her daughter's heart. Without it, she stood a better chance. It wouldn't hurt as much if today she became an orphan by her own hands.

"Regina, I…" she placed one shaking finger on the organ and gasped. "What was that?"

"It… was how I feel about you. That's the interesting thing about hearts and the magic used to take them. It was originally used for nobler purposes. The ancient royals of our land had it developed so that they may leave the kingdom in the hands of the heir with the purest heart, create their court based on trust because they were able to feel it, literally. It ensured safety, but also humility. The rulers felt every judgment, every mistake that poorly impacted their people. Eventually, it was bastardized by Rumpelstiltskin over 300 years ago and turned into something evil. He wasn't the first, but he made it famous." Regina smiled nervously and wet her lips.

"Before the king rode into battle, his sorcerers tore out his heart and placed it inside the chest of his queen. She literally carried his love with her, and if he should fall, she immediately knew and called upon the heir to take control so that the kingdom would not fall into chaos. I… will you carry my heart, Emma Swan?" Regina finished without flourish or bluster.

Like yesterday, she only offered herself, her heart to be exact, hoping and praying that the woman beneath the titles was enough. Slowly, Emma reached for the hardened organ again, tentative fingers slipping around the curves and edges. Regina took a steadying breath and let go, allowing Emma to cradle it in her hands like something precious and fragile.

Emma closed her eyes as the slivers of emotions shot up her arms and settled into her chest. It was warm and passionate and terrifying and comforting and pure. Her mouth dropped open and sucked silent rapid breaths, giving herself over to the crushing power of Regina's emotions.

"Regina, I…" Emma gasped. A conflagration built in her lower stomach and spread in both directions.

Regina weaved her fingers into Emma's hair and brushed her thumb along the sweaty temple over and over, knowing from her research what Emma felt but never personally experiencing it. From Emma's blissful glow, she deduced that it was powerful, overwhelming. While human beings can call an emotion to the forefront when the situation arises, they cannot feel it every second of everyday. What Emma felt was the unadulterated version of that, and it was perhaps stronger than even Regina had imagined.

"That's my desire for you," she whispered. "My love for you."

"Regina," Emma breathed. Her hips twitched uncomfortably as the pressure built but found no release. "I need…"

"I know." She stood and wrapped her hand around Emma's neck, gently pulling her into her chest.

Emma whined at the small sensation of Regina's fingers against her skin. She'd read that this could happen but never imagined that her blackened heart might have inspired it. Emma clutched the heart against her chest and cried into Regina's.

"Regina, please," Emma rasped into her neck. Regina knew she shouldn't, but she trailed her knuckles over Emma's chest and stomach and slipped easily into the stretchy hem of her shorts.

Emma jerked dangerously at the miniscule contact, and Regina readjusted her grip around her back. Regina slid two fingers on either side of her slick clit, squeezing lightly. Emma was soaked already and still leaking. She repeated the motion twice, and Emma bit into the flesh of her neck as the orgasm exploded. Regina hissed at the pain through gritted teeth. She knew it wouldn't take much but hadn't anticipated the abrupt volatility in her lover's reaction.

The teeth released, and Regina lowered her mouth to Emma's before moving her fingers again. Less than a minute later, Emma stilled in her arms again. Her lips remained pressed to Regina's unmoving and parted, breathing into her mouth as she recovered from her second orgasm in as many minutes. Regina figured that she'd cause another if she moved again, but she pulled her fingers away and wrapped her arm around Emma's waist and held her upright. This wasn't about sexual gratification.

"Am I going to be like this all day?" She rasped, and Regina smiled. "Not sure it would be safe to leave me alone with Ruby if that's the case." Emma only half-joked, able to speak now that the pressure had dissipated slightly. It built, though, all over again just as quickly and just as strong.

"From what I've read, it lessens to what one might normally feel once inside your chest. Are you certain?" Emma nodded. "Are you ready?" She nodded again.

Regina held her hand over Emma's and guided it to the proper position. Emma's eyes opened wide at the slight pinch and then the uncomfortable fullness of two hands and two hearts within her chest. Regina pulled their hands away and held Emma tightly lest she lose her balance on the stool. Emma wiggled her shoulders and chest anxiously, waiting for any adverse reactions. After a few minutes, she settled as she adjusted to the jittery energy filling her body.

"How do you feel?" Regina asked, the same concern in her own eyes.

"Jumpy. Sort of anxious and energized, like I drank way too much coffee without enough sleep. Horny as hell," Emma laughed and wiped tears from her face.

She sat up straight, and Regina sighed as the weight was taken from her arm. Emma spun on the stool and situated her knees on either side of Regina's thighs, arms immediately around her waist. Regina smiled down at her, hands in her hair, and then closed the distance between their lips. It was slow, tender, burning. They were content to let it simmer, neither fanning nor extinguishing the embers. They parted mutually, and Emma tucked her head beneath Regina's chin, ear on her chest.

"It's not there, your heartbeat, I mean," Emma commented, still acclimating to what transpired.

"You're my heartbeat," Regina whispered and pulled back to look into those bright green eyes.

"Your neck?" Emma commented, unsure what she meant to say.

"I'm fine. I'm actually looking forward to the idiots' reaction," Regina confessed, a glint of dark glee in her eyes.

"You really think you'll find her today?" Emma ignored the sassy comment. Regina nodded immediately, forehead scrunching with unreadable emotion.

"Be careful," Emma pleaded.

"I'll be home for dinner," Regina said as though she were only heading to Town Hall for a day of paperwork and meetings. Emma smiled.

"I love you," Regina breathed and kissed her again. "I have to go."

"I love you, too," Emma answered and pressed her lips to Regina's again.

And then she was alone in the kitchen with two heartbeats pounding furiously in her chest. Ruby wandered into the kitchen, hands in the back pockets of her jeans, eyes wide and confused.

"Granny said she'd look after Henry," she commented absently, still unsure if she'd just heard correctly.

"What's wrong?" Emma stood and then pressed her hand to her chest when both hearts spiked with adrenaline and concern. This was going to be a weird day.

"She just told me she loved me," Ruby rolled her shoulder towards the door, and Emma straightened. "Emma, I think she's going on a suicide mission," Ruby said, dread building in her stomach and chest. She lost her breath as the weight of that statement hit her.

"She's not," Emma countered nervously, her second hand flying to her chest. "She gave me her heart. She can't die. At least not from anything Cora can do to her."

"Shit, seriously? It's in there?" Ruby pointed at her chest, and Emma nodded.

"How's that?" Ruby was as freaked out as she was.

"Like having two hearts, Miss Lucas," Emma snipped, and then clutched at her chest. The words and tone were all Regina, but it was her voice and her mouth.

"Well, this should be fun," Ruby deadpanned, unsure if she wanted to run or hug an obviously uncomfortable and slightly pained Emma.

"Not as much as you'd think," Emma grumbled, eyes wide and scared. Not as much at all.


	26. A Heart is a Heart is a Heart

Hello Doves! Rage on, that is all.

Songs: Wild Horses by Natasha Bedingfield, Because of You by Kelly Clarkson, What I've Overcome by Fireflight

* * *

Regina took a deep breath and watched the small crowd gather in front of Town Hall. She and Stacy had mapped out a path and marked it clearly on the two maps. She decided to take only one or two people as distractions for Cora and planned the rest to be with David and Snow. They were to contact her immediately with their location if they stumbled upon evidence. Hopefully, no one died today, her mother included.

She straightened her back when Stacy clicked into the room, Archie close behind. She turned slowly from the window, maintaining a coolness she wished she felt. Not only would she have given her faith willingly to the idiots, but she gave her heart to Emma. She placed it in her chest without fully understanding the implications of her actions. No amount of research could have prepared her for the connectedness they created this morning. She had believed the joined emotions to be one-sided, felt only by the possessor of the hearts. She was wrong, so very wrong. Emma was inside, coursing through her with the strength of her beautiful and forgiving heart.

She crossed her arms uncomfortably, though Archie and Stacy couldn't possibly have known what they'd done. She felt exposed and anxious, questioning her abilities. She shook her head. Those weren't her fears. They were Emma's. The doubt dispelled as quickly as it came, and then her chest swelled with that deep vein of love the savior reserved for a select few. It filled her from toe to crown with strength and confidence with a hint of sexy arrogance on the side. Regina shook her head as Emma moved through her and glanced back at the window.

There were more people than she'd anticipated. They served only as distractions, which meant the higher the number, the better chance Regina stood against her mother. She was surprised when Captain pulled up in a big pickup with Lauren, Eva and few other hospital staff members she'd become familiar with during Emma's stay and subsequent physical therapy. She'd skipped that this morning, Regina made a mental note to make her go tomorrow.

"Ready, Regina?" Archie asked in his irritatingly soothing voice. She nodded and proceeded them out of the office. Stacy gripped the maps tightly.

The crowd quieted when they exited the building, Regina flanked by Archie and Stacy. She marched straight to David and Snow, and the group tensed as memories of The Evil Queen surfaced. Regina smirked. It softened slightly when she saw Captain standing at the back of the group, arms crossed, sword proudly strapped to her back.

"It is Emma's wish that you lead the second team in her absence," she clipped at David. She reached for the map without looking, and Stacy placed it in her hand. She shoved it into David's stomach and stepped back.

"My mother is a dangerous woman," she began immediately. "She will not hesitated to kill each and every one of you. However horrible you thought me, Cora is worst." She allowed her words to settle over the crowd before she continued.

"Most of you will accompany the dogcatcher to the abandoned farm house south of town. You will maintain cell phone service the entire time. If at any point you should find yourself out of service, one or two of you will remain behind." She snapped her fingers, and a flare gun appeared in David's hand.

"Shoot off the flare, call me with your location. I'll be there instantly. Do not engage Cora alone. She isn't as powerful as I am, but she's twice as ruthless. She will kill you, all of you. Questions?" She glanced around, finding mortified but brave faces. It seemed like a solid plan.

"I'm going with Regina," Snow blurted to her husband, much to everyone's surprise.

"No," Regina barked, deep voice rumbling in her chest.

"Look, Regina, your magic comes from your anger, right? Well, we need you ramped to an 11! How better to piss you off than hiking in the woods with me?" Snow shrugged breathlessly, not certain her decision wise. It had been made, though, and she stood by it.

Regina sneered slowly and stepped into Snow's space. "If I had known you were this stupid, I'd have teamed up with you against my mother when I was trying to kill you." She grinned darkly.

"Snow, this is not a good idea," David protested.

"Clearly you are suicidal. If you wish it, then so be it," Regina rolled her wrist, easily summoning a small fireball. Snow rolled her eyes.

"She won't hurt me, David," the optimistic woman assured her husband who seemed about ready to pop from the adrenaline in his ears.

"How can you be sure?" He asked Snow, eyes on Regina.

"Because _Emma_ wishes it," Snow said pointedly, throwing Regina's word choice in her face. Regina closed her fist, fire disappearing in a puff of smoke. She stepped into Snow's face again, eyes hard, unforgiving.

"Yes, _she_ does," Regina said pointedly, the threat barely concealed. She'd have toasted Snow right then and there if Emma wasn't in her life and heart, and everyone knew it.

She whirled from the group and clicked sharply towards her Mercedes. Snow kissed her husband and followed. He'd left his truck at Regina's earlier, so he piled as many into the cruiser as he could, and Captain offered the rest a spot in the bed of her pickup.

Snow clamored into the passenger seat of Regina's car and fidgeted the entire way out of the town proper. Paved streets gave way to dirt and gravel. 30 minutes into the drive yielded nothing but denser trees, bigger rocks, and a growing tension between the two silent women. Neither had been this far out before, not in this direction.

Finally, they reached a foot bridge over the river and nothing else to cross. It seemed safe enough, so they left the security of the car and approached the bridge. The sky rumbled with the promise of rain.

"You love her, don't you, Regina?" Snow said, eyes on the cracked planks and thick ropes.

"You're alive, aren't you?" The dark woman answered and set one foot on the bridge.

"Regina." Something in Snow's voice made her hesitate, and she turned around slowly.

"Is she happy with you?" Snow asked, eyes begging for an actual answer. She needed to know. It would never be perfect or peaceful, but she convinced herself that she'd learn to accept it as long as Emma found happiness.

"Why aren't you asking your daughter?" Regina snipped. Her rage flared, and without her heart actually inside of her to temper it, she feared Snow might actually have pushed her to violence. She gasped as Emma washed through her again, cleansing her soul with that hesitant love she so desperately wanted to give. Regina knew the answer, spoke it aloud.

"She's…" She waved her hand. Emma wasn't happy, not by a long shot, but Snow hadn't earned that secret, that trust, from either of them. "With me, she is happy," Regina answered. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either.

"It's complicated, but it's real," Regina elaborated when she saw the expression in Snow's eyes. She held judgment and sought understanding. She was a mother trying to do what was best for her child.

"Thank you, Regina, for taking care of her. I was told that she'd have died if you hadn't gotten her help so quickly." Snow started, hope building as she finally felt her feet hit solid ground with the former queen.

"We are not doing this," Regina held up a hand, eyes closing in frustration. She stepped onto the shaky bridge and left Snow to follow if she wished.

And her solid ground was a sinkhole. She sighed and followed the difficult woman that she used to love. Maybe she'd learn to love her again, one day.

They traipsed side by side for a few minutes. Regina stopped suddenly and held up her hand. Snow bumped her shoulder, blushed, took two steps away from the other woman. Regina glared coldly and simply pointed in the distance. The house they'd been searching for stood, just barely, in ruin. Part of the roof had caved in years ago. Planks of paste board siding hung haphazardly, having rotted and ripped free of the nails that once held them.

"This can't be the place," Snow said in disbelief, stepping towards the house needlessly. "Should we take a look anyway?"

Regina squinted at the field stretching before them. The house clearly had been abandoned years ago, but the field beneath it was neat and clean. Tractors and trucks spotted the field, but there was no road leading to the house from Storybrooke. The house was too dilapidated to have only begun aging a little over a year ago. They'd been led astray.

"Snow!" Regina called and sprinted towards the woman she'd hated most of her life. She grabbed her shoulder and jerked her back, spinning in front of her to halt any further progress.

"What?" Snow asked, clearly scared that she'd pushed Regina over the edge.

"Look." Regina took a half a step towards the house. She felt the tingle of her magic and waved her arm in front of her. A blue shimmer climbed the invisible barrier and faded after a moment.

"The town line. This was a set up. David," Snow whimpered.

"Stacy. Cora must have her heart," Regina seethed. She'd put yet another person she cared for in harm's way. Snow squeaked when she grabbed her shoulders tightly, and then came apart as Regina used her magic to teleport them to the other location.

Snow fell to her knees as she came back together. David shot the flare in the air, not noticing his wife had appeared behind him. Regina's cell phone blared the same song it had last night, and she allowed it to play. Her hands blew a violet gust towards David, and everyone in its path fell to the ground beneath the force.

It had been David and Leroy surrounded by the others. They were the ones to be trusted right now, but they were the ones she hadn't trusted before. Everyone she'd developed a tentative friendship with was here, save Ruby, Granny and Emma. They'd all come because they'd all been ordered to by her mother. Not only was she forced to save those she hated, but she defended them against those she'd begun to care for. Her heart sank. Perhaps she might miss dinner.

"Oh Regina, you've lost your touch. I expected you a week ago," her mother mocked from the start.

"Regina!" Snow called behind her. She felt the tingle of her mother's magic and heard Snow's body hit the ground. She was fine, probably knocked out, Regina told herself.

David glanced up at her helplessly, and her face softened. If she allowed him to be freed, she risked releasing everyone else. They'd been lucky that the skilled swordsman hadn't killed anyone yet.

"Hello, Mother," Regina spat. Her lips pulled back into a snarl, scar on her lip pronounced.

"Release them, Darling. They'll not harm you," Cora tsked as she came into Regina's vision. "Or your lover's family," she amended.

Regina relaxed, and David sprinted to his wife. She groaned at the contact, and Regina sighed inside, relieved that she'd not have to break that news to Emma. Cora raised an eyebrow.

"Look what you've allowed this woman to do to you, Regina. Pathetic. Protecting your sworn enemies for her sake," Cora waved her towards the idiots.

"Mother, you must know that you can't win this. I will never return to you willingly, no matter how many presents you bring me," Regina said coldly, carefully controlling the flare of Emma within her. It was angry, passionate in its rejection of Cora.

"There are ways, Regina," Cora promised, hand shooting into Regina's chest.

Regina gasped and then grinned smugly. "You taught me well," she whispered.

Cora moved her hand inside Regina but came up empty. "Where is it?" She asked calmly, almost having expected something of this nature.

"It's safe," Regina replied nonchalantly, growing bored with her mother's antics.

She flung her hands out, and Cora flew backward towards her hoard of heartless drones. Cora laughed and brushed herself off, standing with the aid of Eva and Archie. Regina's body recoiled in anger, but she stayed still.

"Oh you foolish girl!" Cora exclaimed and walked towards her daughter. "You gave her your heart, didn't you?" She said, more of a statement than a question, as she came to a stop two feet from Regina.

"Did you take advantage of her in such a compromised state? Did she beg you?" Cora asked calmly, not expecting answers but making a point. The angry tightening of Regina's jaw and a guilty swallow told Cora that she'd touched something sensitive.

"Your passion marks tell your secrets, Dear. You really shouldn't wear them so proudly," Cora pointed at her neck with a waggling finger.

Regina felt her control slipping. Her mother was right. She'd taken advantage of Emma this morning. She'd been in no condition to consent to anything. It was no better than what she'd done to Belle, what had been done to her by Leopold and Rumpel. She shook her head angrily. No, it had been different. Emma wanted her, desired her sexually. She'd have consented without the influence of her heart, Regina reminded herself. Wouldn't she?

The sliver of doubt had been planted.

"You have two options, Darling," Cora continued, pleased with the emotional damage she'd inflicted. "I'll order my new servants to attack your idiots, or you come with me."

"No," Regina summoned a fireball, anger flaring at Cora's condescending tone.

Cora reached out faster than should have been possible and wrapped her fingers around Regina's throat. Her daughter only smiled, clearly unimpressed. She beckoned her militia over her shoulder, and they surrounded David, Snow and Leroy.

"Did your stories of the ancients tell you the one downfall of giving your heart to another?" Cora asked, and Regina's stomach dropped. She knew that tone.

"When your heart beats inside another's chest, your lifelines become linked. Should she die, so should you. If you die, well…" She left the sentence hanging.

"No," Regina whispered. "Mother please. I'm willing to die, I am. Don't take Emma." Regina's anger gave away to fear, and the fireball extinguished itself.

"Oh I won't kill her, Darling. That will be your doing," Cora mocked and lifted Regina into the air magically. She never flailed and fought against her own survival instinct and sheer panic the restraints still caused. She remained as calm as possible for Emma's sake who surely felt the lack of oxygen by now. If she fought back, Snow and David would be killed or the innocents who had become her friends. She should have known better than thinking she'd best Cora.

She was released suddenly and fell to her knees, gasping for air. Cora brushed her hand over the wave of her short black hair, and Regina felt sick at the touch but allowed it.

"I will give you three days to say goodbye to your princess. If by then, you haven't returned, I'll rip this town apart piece by piece." Cora stated her ultimatum. Who knew how many hearts she'd actually taken.

"Mommy, please, I'll be good," Regina whispered, hating the childish whine in her voice. Those words, they'd been spoken a hundred times, and they usually worked.

"Say it, Regina. Say it for Mother," Cora encouraged, a sick excitement in her eyes at her daughter's submission.

"Only if you promise to return their hearts," she pointed shakily at the small group ten feet from them. "Return them now, Mother," she ordered, finding strength in Emma's returning life force in her chest.

"Very well," Cora conceded, and with a flick of her wrist, hearts glowed briefly and then sunk into chests. Regina lowered her head and held herself tightly around her stomach.

"Love is weakness," she whispered. Cora clicked her tongue, and Regina raised her head, knowing exactly what her mother wanted. She looked up into her eyes and projected clearly as if speaking to a room with no microphone. "Love is weakness."

Cora's eyes slipped shut as a blissful expression morphed her features. She was a beautiful woman, even in her aged years, but even so, the manifestation of such an innocent and pure emotion as happiness seemed wrong on her face. She smiled maniacally at her daughter and disappeared a satisfied woman and proud mother. Regina lowered her head again, determined not to cry in front of the group now approaching her with new eyes and perspectives.

"Regina!" Snow sprinted towards her, uncaring if her step-mother wanted to be comforted or not.

She'd known Cora was awful but never imagined the lengths she'd go to control her daughter. Regina had just given in, hadn't even tried to fight back. Snow realized now that it came from years of conditioning and emotional abuse. Everyone in their group realized that now. It made them see The Evil Queen in a different light, and shame at their indifference filled their hearts.

She reached out to touched the dark woman's shoulder and found air and chalky purple smoke. Regina appeared a moment later in her vault. Ruby inhaled sharply and lowered Emma to the floor, crossing the room in four steps to the still kneeling Regina. She skidded to a stop on her knees in front of her friend, hands clutching her shoulders.

"Regina!" She broke through the haze in the sorceress' mind.

"Emma?" Regina asked. Ruby shook her head.

"She's fine, unconscious but fine. What the hell happened? One minute she was pissed off at me for packing a box wrong and then she just fell over. Regina!" Ruby shook her shoulders when Regina's eyes went distant again.

Her eyes filled with tears and her head lowered again. Ruby's brows pulled together. She raised on one knee, planting a firm foot at Regina's hip and pulled her friend into her chest. She held an unresponsive Regina tightly as silent sobs quaked beneath her hands. She calmed eventually, breathing heavily into Ruby's neck. The wolf pulled back slightly, and Regina snatched her shirt at the sides in a white-knuckle grip. She felt safe in Ruby's strong arms, physically if not emotionally. She'd only ever felt that with Daniel and Emma, but she took the comfort available until Emma woke up.

Three days, Cora said. She had 72 hours to tell her family goodbye, and no matter how much she wanted to believe she might best her mother, she'd lost all confidence and hope after today's encounter. She might have simply allowed her to crush the hearts still in her possession if Emma and Henry had never looked at her with those loving and faithful eyes. It wasn't an option now.

She'd changed. They'd changed her, and if she sacrificed herself to be that person who made them so very happy, then she gladly would have endured a thousand years under Cora's thumb. She may be damaged, but her mother would never break her again. Love wasn't only her strength. It'd be her saving grace.


	27. Let Me Lead You from Your Solitude

Hello Dovies! Thank you so much for all of your reviews. I love reading about your favorite parts. I'm grateful to have such a loyal following. And on that note, enjoy Lovelies!

(So, it dawned on me as I lay down to sleep after editing and being awake for over 24 hours that I idiotically wrote the the character's name instead of the actress'. It has been amended, and now, I shall sleep, or more likely now compare Sierra to all other Christine's, so much better than Sarah Brightman... And this shall be my thoughts for the next two hours. Now, you now why I write so often.)

Songs: All of Me by Jasmine Thompson, (I pulled all the stops for this one. Seriously, go listen to this next song after reading and watch the you tube video. Still brings me to tears after seeing/hearing it a hundred times while writing this one and a hundred times more over the past couple years. Sierra's performance: outstanding.) All I Ask of You as performed by Sierra Boggess and Hadley Fraser from _Phantom of the Opera_

* * *

Ruby sighed again for the hundredth time in the past ten minutes. She'd been on edge all day after dropping Regina and Emma at the mansion. They promised that they'd be by later to pick up Henry and asked her not to say anything about what happened that morning with Cora. That was nearly eight hours ago, though, and Ruby felt the strain of their absence and the responsibility of caring for Henry. Neither Regina nor Emma were in any condition to care or even deal with their son, so it was either her or Snow and David. That wasn't happening any time soon.

About an hour ago, Henry sensed her barely contained frustration with his questions and incessant chattering. He'd asked for the key to her apartment above the diner, disappeared for ten minutes, and returned with Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. He had read quietly at the end of the bar since then. She and Henry had been reading all of Belle's favorite books, so that they could discuss them with her when she returned. It was going to be their little way of letting her know that they hadn't forgotten or given up on her.

Ruby had just begun to breathe easily again when the door jingled about ten minutes ago, announcing the arrival of Lacey and Gold. Ruby valiantly kept her mouth shut and busied herself with side chores that she normally saved until the end of the night. She recognized the challenge in Lacey's beautiful blue eyes. If she forbade her association with Gold, Lacey intended to rebel and buck against her wishes just to prove a point. It was a very Belle expression, and it set Ruby's heart pounding for a brief moment until the lascivious woman wearing her lover's body ordered an entire bottle of wine for herself.

She turned her back to clear a table for only a moment, and when she glanced again, Gold sat alone. Ruby said nothing at first, but when she returned with their food orders, her tongue refused to be still.

"You're sick," she growled. "She's not her." It was full of anger, not only at Gold.

"Better than nothing, Dearie. She may not have her memories, but I can still hear her voice, look into her eyes. She loved me once, and she'll love me again no matter who is in her body," Gold's challenge was clear. Who could make Lacey fall in love with them first?

"Then why did she walk out the back door and leave you sitting here alone?" Ruby drove the stake into his chest and walked away. No matter how irritating Lacey could be, she'd never walked out on Ruby when they had spent time together. It was a sick sort of satisfaction, and Ruby swallowed the bile in her throat. Belle's alter ego shouldn't be a pawn in their twisted power struggle.

Henry watched her wrestle with her anger and disgust. He understood enough to know Ruby ached deeply but not everything. He slipped from the stool and rounded the bar silently. Ruby's arms were spread wide on the counter, head bowed, eyes closed. He ducked beneath her arm and hugged her, looking up expectantly. She flinched but offered nothing else, so Henry just held on tight. After a few minutes, she straightened and wrapped her arms around his tiny body.

"True love's kiss, Aunt Ruby," Henry whispered, grinning triumphantly when a slow smile spread across the woman's face. He'd been waiting for a special occasion to use the new title as a welcome-to-the-family present and had accurately deemed this an appropriate time.

"I love you, Kiddo," Ruby squeezed him tighter and swallowed her tears. She'd always have a home, a family. That had been a foreign idea to her for such a long time, and she feared that she'd truly be alone when Granny died. Now, she knew that even if Belle never found her again, she'd still have a family.

"I love you, too. Now go kiss your woman!" He commanded in a harsh whisper, and she laughed one belly-jerking bark.

"I wish it were that simple, Henry. Gold already tried. It didn't work," Ruby informed him sadly.

"He's not her true love. You are," Ruby shook her head and released him. "Ru-By," he whined and followed her to the kitchen. "Just try it. It won't hurt to try, right?"

He was right. She knew he was. She huffed a sigh through her nose and whirled towards the dining room. Henry whooped behind her as she trudged towards the back entrance. She ripped the door open, intent on tracking Lacey down and throwing her lips upon hers in supplication and praying the gods have mercy on her. She nearly tripped over her own heels, however, as the scene just outside the diner burned into her mind.

A man lay beaten and unconscious by the dumpster while Lacey and Gold made out above him. Her stomach roiled, and her eyes flashed yellow, fist clenched.

"As I said, you're sick," she seethed. "I'm calling David and Emma, and having your ass thrown in jail for assault." She pulled her cell from the apron at her hips but froze as she tried to press a button.

She glanced up at Gold. He had his fingers pointed towards her, eyes twinkling in delight. She lifted off the ground and flew sideways into the diner. Her head smacked onto the wood, blurring her vision.

"Stop," Lacey ordered, and she fell to the ground in a heap. "Leave her alone, anyone but her. She's nice," Lacey explained, and then they were gone.

Ruby pulled herself up and stumbled back inside, hand pressed to her head. Well, that had gone about as well as she'd expected.

When Emma and Regina arrived 20 minutes later, they found Ruby sitting in an empty diner drinking a hot cocoa with Henry at the bar. Ruby had called them right after the attack and cleared everyone out. Granny had taken the night off, and she refused to wait tables with a concussion. Her left arm was propped on the edge of the counter and supported her head. Her right brought the cocoa to her mouth.

"You okay, Rubes?" Emma asked and set her hands on Henry's shoulders.

"Gold just tried to wrecking ball the diner with my head. I'm fucking peachy," Ruby bit out, done with this town.

"Why?" Regina asked. She'd gotten nearly no details during the call, only that Gold had hurt her using magic and that they needed to come get Henry.

"Why the fuck else? Lacey. She's all gaga for his dark side, just the way you designed her to be. I'm so fucking tired of your magical enemies bashing my brains in. How much do I have to suffer for loving you?" Ruby accused as she slid off the stool and stared down Regina. She hadn't meant the words, but they cut into Regina all the same.

"Come on, Kid. Let's go clean up the kitchen for Ruby," Emma said and practically pulled her son from the stool backwards.

This needed to run its course. They'd make up when the anger ran out. They always did. Emma was too exhausted to fight it. When they'd finally dragged Regina into the house, it had taken her two hours to convince her that it was perfectly acceptable to touch her and accept the comfort she offered. It took another two to convince her to put her heart back in her chest. She'd coaxed Regina into eating half a bagel, and then they cried themselves into a restless sleep. The bond they shared when Emma carried her heart lingered, and Emma found herself literally riding the emotional roller coaster of her lover's mind. They awoke when Ruby called.

"You'll not suffer much longer, Miss Lucas," Regina sniffed.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Ruby cocked her hip and tossed the ice pack onto the counter, bloody towel and all.

"It means that my mother has given me three days to surrender myself to her or she will unleash havoc on Storybrooke. She's been collecting hearts, and we haven't a clue how many or whose she has," Regina explained her morning in a calm, even voice.

"And you're just going to do it? Give up?" Ruby waved her hand around, needing to move.

"Yes," she answered.

"Are you fucking stupid? Have you completely lost your damn mind? I've seen what that woman can do. I've experienced it, remember. Regina Mills, Evil Queen, badass bitch from hell just rolling over and taking her spanking like a good little girl. Grow up. Get over your mommy issues and kick her ass!" Ruby yelled at her friend.

"She's my mother! I can't just kill her, you stupid mutt." Regina stared at the incredulous gumption the wolf showed, wishing she felt more anger than hurt at Ruby's words.

"I killed mine," Ruby confided in a dangerously low voice. "I didn't mean to, but I'd do it again because it was the right thing to do. Nut up, honey, because you are the only one powerful enough to do it. If you don't, everything you love is going to be ripped away from you, and it will be no one's fault but your own." Her chest heaved by the time she finished, fists tight and coiled with tension.

Ruby challenged her, pushed and pulled in so many directions that Regina felt like lashing out simply because she could. She narrowed her eyes, instead, and remained silent. Ruby was right, usually was. Her anger melted, replaced with the humility of her ass-chewing from the strong young woman before her.

"Are you okay?" Regina asked after a long pause, and Ruby let her anger slip away in the not-quite-gentle concern in Regina's voice.

"It hurts like a bitch. It's just bleeding a lot because it's a head wound. I'm sure I'll be healed by morning," Ruby slumped onto the stool again, exhausted now that her anger had dissipated. She sighed.

"I know it's not your fault that people keep coming after me," she mumbled.

Regina moved behind the counter and poured a cup of coffee and then leaned on her elbows in front of Ruby.

"I'm sorry your head was used as a wrecking ball," Regina said and then took a sip. "Here," she offered and held her hand over Ruby's cracked skull.

Ruby sighed, eyes slipping shut at the instant relief. "What the hell are you doing, woman?" Ruby asked drowsily.

"I can't heal you, but this should take your pain for a while. I'm glad it worked. I modified it in my head from the spell used to take voices. Voices don't magically disappear, but vocal cords can be numbed, giving the illusion of losing one's voice magically." Regina explained her spell as she worked and then removed her hand.

"Dear god, Witch, I do believe you're wonderful," Ruby murmured, eyes still shut.

"Indeed. I'm pleased your deductive reasoning remains intact," Regina quipped sarcastically. "Now, why exactly did Gold attack you?"

"He beat some guy in the alley into a pulp. I was trying to call David to arrest him. He was also kissing Lacey," Ruby's face screwed up in disgust. "He's taking advantage of her, and she doesn't even know it."

"I'm sorry, Wolf Pup. I'll find a way to bring her back. Just as soon as I deal with my mother." Her tone was bitter. They fell into silence.

"Would it make you feel better if you felt my heart, made sure it's where it's supposed to be?" Ruby asked suddenly. Regina squinted thoughtfully and then nodded.

"Lay it on me, Big Mama," Ruby puffed out her chest towards Regina who didn't hesitate to stick her hand into the flesh presented her.

Ruby's heart banged steadily against her fingertips, and Regina sighed. There was a lot of anger, a lot of love, and a smidgen of guilt. It felt right to Regina, so she pulled her hand away.

"Thank you," she said softly and raised the porcelain mug to her mouth, hiding behind the bitter taste of old coffee.

"Anytime," the girl offered happily, and then sobered. "No, really, anytime. That shit was the scariest thing I've ever experienced in my life. I like to know everything is where it is supposed to be as much as you." Regina wrinkled her nose.

"You've been particularly vulgar since your stint in the hospital," the statement hung between them, and Ruby shrugged as her only answer. Swearing eased the anger, but they both already knew that.

"Hey," Emma called from the kitchen door and smiled when two sets of exhausted but docile brown eyes turned in her direction. "I've run out of things to clean. Are you done ripping each other up?"

"Of course, Darling. Is Henry ready to go home?" Regina asked, genuinely excited to have the two most important people in her life under one roof again at least for a few hours.

"Uh, yep, Kid's asleep on his feet." She glanced over her shoulder at the little zombie and smiled. "I'll take him to the car," Emma offered, sensing their conversation hadn't quite been finished. The two brunettes watched them to the door and then turned back to one another.

"Regina, can…"

"Yes. I'll wait for you to lock up," Regina answered, touched her hand and then followed Emma and Henry.

When they arrived at the Mills' mansion, Henry had already conked out against Ruby's shoulder in the back seat. She gathered him over her shoulder, expecting him to wake up, and hauled him upstairs to his room. He stayed out like a shot bulb, and his mothers smirked in amusement. He got that particular trait from nowhere strange, and Emma shrugged as if to say that's my boy when Regina narrowed her eyes at her.

They each kissed his forehead, closed the door and then stood awkwardly outside his room, unsure what to do now that they'd actually gotten to the safety of Regina's mansion.

"Rubes, you'll be okay downstairs? I mean, Regina has a guest room," she pointed to a door down the hall to emphasize her words.

"Nah, I like it downstairs. Those couches are amazing, plus the t.v.'s downstairs. I'm going to take a shower in there, though. Blood." Ruby pointed to her head, smiled, and backed down the hall for a few steps with a smirk before turning around and disappearing into the guest room.

Emma and Regina fidgeted, awkward in the presence of only each other again. Words denied them access. Regina crossed one arm across her chest and held her other elbow. It was such a girlish gesture. One that she'd picked up from Ruby, Emma realized. She looked so fragile in the position, and Emma moved first. She held Regina's neck on either side and kissed her softly, slowly. Regina tensed at first, still uncertain and doubtful of Emma's affection, and then responded heatedly.

Suddenly, tongues danced and hips rolled. Regina moved them to her bedroom door, and then they were truly alone. Clothes were discarded haphazardly. Skin slid against skin as they came together over and over. It was slow as if it were the last time. They felt each other, still, deep inside where they normally hid their insecurities and hurts from sharing hearts earlier. It was only them this night. Literally, one body, one mind, and one soul.

Regina began crying before Emma ever moved down her body, but Emma felt the pureness of the tears in her chest. They cleansed them both, and Regina gave herself over to the softness of Emma's mouth against her. She remained quiet as before, but somehow the heated sighs and little gasps seemed louder, more meaningful. They said more than her words ever could. _I won't leave you. I love you. I am yours._

And then she stilled beneath the warm tongue. Emma caught her before she fell, and they came together bodily again. Emma appeared beneath her, and she straddled her hips carefully, afraid this moment would have collapsed should she injure Emma's healing muscles with her weight. She never even considered leaving Emma's side as she kissed her deeply, one hand moving, the other holding her weight on an elbow.

Emma moaned into her mouth when she slipped inside but never broke the connection. Her hands tangled in Regina's short hair, holding her closer, pulling her deeper. Still aroused from their early morning liaison, she came undone easily beneath Regina's skilled fingers.

Tears slid down her face, and her lips pushed harder into Regina's. And then hands were in her hair, pulling her from the pillows and blankets until she settled atop the warm body of her lover. Hot liquid swirled together at their joined mouths, the taste of salt slipping into the kiss. They moved together, burning together until Regina's calves wrapped around her thighs as she came undone again. She threw her head back, eyes open, chest heaving.

Emma followed a few seconds later, stilled for a moment before sliding against her again. Regina sucked a harsh breath and then her mouth was against Emma's again, hands demanding purchase in her wild golden locks. The pressure built slowly, and they allowed it to ebb and flow as it wished. Time passed slowly and quickly at the same time, or perhaps it stopped altogether and allowed foolish lovers a moment of peace.

Eventually, their kisses slowed as their bodies refused to be aroused again, having found a blissful exhaustion. Emma rolled away, pulled the blanket from beneath Regina and then on top of them both. Regina accepted Emma's heated and slightly damp body into hers eagerly, tightly squeezing the thigh that found its way between hers. Her hands wanted all of Emma's skin, so she took it, and Emma's followed suit against her body. Her back. Her arms. Her stomach. Her face and neck and hips and thighs. Not an inch was left untouched. It wasn't sexual, and neither woman misconstrued the sensual caresses as anything more than the affirmation it was.

They were there. They were in love. And they belonged to each other body and, literally, heart.

Sometime later, Emma woke. She'd nodded off practically on top of Regina. Her head rested atop the shoulder opposite her hips, breasts against Regina's fuller ones. Half her stomach and one of her hips pressed comfortably atop Regina's beneath her. The blanket hung around her waist. Soft fingertips slid up and down her spine slowly, and others tangled and unmoving in her hair at the base of her neck, the arm attached resting heavily against her shoulder.

"Regina?" Emma whispered. Regina hummed a response, but her fingers never even hesitated in their movements against her spine.

"Why are you still awake?" Emma asked drowsily, and Regina drew a deep breath.

"I wanted to feel you," She answered cryptically and pressed a kiss to Emma's head.

"Am I hurting you? I can move," Emma tensed to do just that, but Regina's hands slapped against the skin of her back forcefully. Emma froze, unsure what just happened, and the hands loosened.

"Stay?" It was hesitant, timid, more of a plea than a question, and Emma relaxed against the hot skin beneath her again.

"Always," she answered, and they both knew the word was meant for something larger than their sleeping position.

"Sleep," she commanded Emma and resumed the soothing caress of her spine.

"You should sleep, too," Emma managed through a small yawn, eyes already closing again beneath the gentle fingers of her lover.

"I want to feel you," Regina commented absently and pressed her cheek into her hair.

When Emma woke again, soft puffs of air moved her hair gently and sun streamed brightly into the room, not quite reaching the bed yet. Soft thumps of bass vibrated the walls, and she knew that Ruby and Henry were awake and at full speed, as usual. She'd remained atop Regina the entire night, and in the garish light of morning still felt no urge to leave the comfortable position yet.

"Regina?" She whispered. No verbal response, but the hand that had fallen to her waist during sleep twitched.

"Baby, it's time to get up," Emma whispered again, not wanting her first moments of wakefulness to be abrupt. She felt a smile against the back of her head and realized the term of endearment had came out naturally.

"I know," Regina returned in a whisper. "Ruby and Henry have been playing that dreadful racket for at least an hour." Her voice was deep and gravelly, and if she had been dozing when Emma awoke, it hadn't been for long. Hers was the voice of one who had stayed awake all night.

"Did you sleep?" Emma asked, concerned. She tensed to pull away, and Regina's grip tighten but didn't stop her. She slid her body to Regina's side, skin pulling where it stuck together through the night.

"Here and there," Regina answered honestly as she adjusted her arm to accommodate Emma's new position. She only moved far enough to take her weight from atop Regina's body and then laid her head on her chest, arm flung over her stomach and tucked beneath her ribs on the other side. Regina's fingers were magnetically attracted to Emma's tangle hair.

"We should get up," Emma commented without conviction. She blinked rapidly and squeezed at her eyes with her thumb and forefinger, blinked again, rolled her eyes.

"Have you something in your eyes?" Regina asked, slightly concerned and slightly amused at Emma's antics.

"Uhh, dry contacts. They've been in for like a week now since Mary Margaret and David got back. She brought me new ones. They must have taken my other ones out when I was in a coma," Emma explained.

"You never said anything." If she'd known, she would have happily brought them to the hospital for Emma.

"I was blitzed out of my mind most of the time anyway. Didn't really need them," Emma shrugged and then pressed her lips to the top swell of Regina's breast.

"Can we just stay right here like this for the next three days until we have to deal with stuff? We can have council meetings here. You can mortify David and Mary Margaret by licking my face or hiding under the blankets." Emma babbled and rubbed the tip of her nose lightly over Regina's breast.

Regina laughed. It was deep and throaty and possibly the sexiest sound Emma Swan had ever heard in her life. It was the first time she'd ever heard Regina genuinely laugh out of loud in pleasure. She jerked her head up in a flash and watched the joy spread on her lover's face as she calmed. She cleared her throat when she noticed Emma's stare, eyes cast to the side as she exerted control of her features.

"Why do you do that? Hold your laughter in, I mean?" Emma brushed a thumb along Regina's eyebrow, pulling her eyes back to her own.

"Old habits, Miss Swan, are difficult to break," Regina sniffed, still struggling for dominance of her emotions. "I still smoke when I drink or become overly stressed," she confessed without thinking about her words.

"You smoke?" Regina nodded rather than speaking. "Huh," Emma allowed the sound to express her opinion.

Surprised and intrigued, she imagined what Regina would look like with a glass of whiskey, a cigarette, and nothing on but her black laced panties and Emma's baggy AC/DC t-shirt. In her fantasy, Regina is wearing that plum-colored lipstick and her hair is mussed from sex or sleep or anything that might have disheveled her normally perfectly styled locks. She shivered, and Regina tightened her grip, mistaking the involuntary reaction for a chill than arousal.

"We should get up," Emma said again. She sniffed her armpit. "And shower."

"Elegant." Regina's voice was edgy with blatant disapproval but her fingers tucked hair behind Emma's ear. "Would you be more motivated if I proposed joint bathing?" One side of Regina's mouth rose in a smirk, and Emma stared stupidly.

"Uhh, no," she said without thinking, and Regina's face fell. "Shit, that's not what I meant, Baby. The answer to that question is yes, but if we ever plan on leaving this room today, we should probably not do that," she babbled nervously. Regina's face softened.

"Fine point, Darling." Regina kissed her chastely and then urged her to roll onto her back. Emma winced as she did like after the first time they'd made love, but it was considerably less dramatic.

"Take your contacts out," Regina ordered. "Are your glasses and contact case in your bag?" Emma nodded and gritted her teeth.

"Lie still. I'll bring them to you and some pills. They should be effective by the time I finish in the bathroom," Regina gently commanded, and for once, Emma didn't argue.

The bed dipped as she left it. Less than a minute later, she returned with the anti-inflammatory medication and a glass of water in one hand, Emma's bag in the other. Emma swallowed the pills as Regina rifled through her bag. She set the necessary items on the nightstand as she found them, dropped the bag to the floor and crawled onto the bed on her hands and knees. She leaned over Emma as she took the empty glass and kissed her once more before disappearing into the bathroom.

Emma took out the contacts and then reclined on the bed, listening to the thumping of the bass mixing with the shower spray, content for the first time in her life. How had she gotten so lucky? She finally moved when the door to the en suite bathroom opened and revealed Regina tightly wrapped in a fluffy beige towel. Droplets of waters dripped from her hair, splashing onto and trailing down her chest. The sight had Emma spellbound, eyes wide and wanting as she followed her lover's every move. Regina lowered her chin when a blush tinged her cheeks and chest and cleared her throat.

"Don't watch me." It was a plea, not a demand, and it made Emma want to stare even more than she was.

She swallowed the thick desire in her chest and nodded, rolling to the side and sitting up to emphasize her point. Her chest and stomach pinched slightly but not enough to merit hesitation, so she stood and crossed to the bathroom. She was unable to stop herself, however, from stealing a kiss from the embarrassed woman. Her fingers slipped into her wet silky hair a moment before her lips collided with Regina's.

Regina resisted at first, but her body melded into Emma's involuntarily. Emma stopped the kiss before it became over heated and pressed her forehead into Regina's, eyes closed. She held her for a moment and then opened her eyes to find terrified caramel staring up at her. She'd made love to her half of the night, but this form of intimacy scared Regina. This woman constantly fascinated Emma with each new layer she peeled back.

"You're beautiful, Regina," Emma breathed before she stopped herself. "Just like this." Emma pulled back and brushed her thumbs over the cheek bones beneath them. "Just this," she said, and Regina sucked in a hard breath.

The words were nearly nonsensical, but they meant everything. In her best clothes, beneath her in passion, dripping wet and displaying every imperfect blemish on her skin, Emma wanted her. The vulnerability made her squirm until Emma wrapped strong arms around her shoulders and held her against her warm naked body. Soothing lips fell against her temple, and then the soft warm skin disappeared as Emma let her go and entered the bathroom. She smiled shyly despite her solitude and turned towards her closet.

Emma said so much more when she held her tongue, and her love for the blonde sheriff settled more deeply into her heart with each gesture. For a moment, Emma helped her forget the situation with her mother, her pain, her insecurity, her perceived shortcomings and failures. She was just Regina Mills, damaged and flawed and somehow special enough to have earned the love and respect of an equally damaged and flawed and special woman.

Hope fluttered tentatively in her heart as she thought perhaps together they might find a way through the obstacles and circumstances and have a shot at something tangible and real and so very beautiful.


	28. Blueberries: The Way to My Heart

Hello My Doves!

Dear Guest, I haven't a clue how to help with your problem. I don't have a tumbler account. I'm not sure I even understand what twitter is, and my extent of technological knowledge includes Excel for statistics and Word for writing. I still haven't figured out how to make my Facebook feed not show me friends of friends' posts, which is annoying. That said, I was totally born into the wrong generation and will defer to those more wise than I in this department. Also, I agree with everything you've said in the post.

Now, that the fun stuff is over, I must go do things like fix my truck. Warning: This is a rant, and I appreciate you listening. My loving and wonderful and never boring partner has a taillight out on her car, which I found out about and promised on Friday evening night before I left for work to fix but haven't gotten around to it because I split wood for my partially disabled mom on Saturday and then took her grocery shopping yesterday. Hey, I work nights so it's a bitch to be up all day, and I was exhausted by the time I got home, not mentioning: recently dislocated and aching knuckle! So after a minor argument and to make a statement, she decided to take my truck this morning to that germ-infested place where she teaches severely cognitively impaired, bacteria-filled but incredibly sweet and adorable little monsters. She returned less than two minutes later with tears in her eyes and shaking hands. She handed me my keys, which I looked at in confusion, not knowing she'd decided to take my truck, which she loathes driving, and told me that I had to add the garage door track and my truck to my list of things to do on top of everything else I normally do on my only day off. So, I probably won't get to my nightly installment this evening. Mama was right when she told me that I'd never be bored with this one. She's so clumsy, and, gods help me, but I fall for her again every time, no matter how pissed I am.*Rant over*

At any rate, enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: I Choose You by Sara Bareilles, Say Something by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera

* * *

Regina raised one eyebrow in amusement at the sight that greeted her in the foyer. Henry's hair had been styled into a Mohawk by some force far more sinister than magic, hair gel. His shirt was open to reveal a white tank top beneath it. Ruby wore incredibly bagging pants, barely held in place by her slim hips, flat skater boy shoes, a white tank top and open shirt, like Henry. They both had sunglasses on and bobbed their heads and bodies to the horrible beat.

Ruby shouted encouragements or corrections of her boy's dance method, though neither of them looked particularly graceful or talented. She stopped and simply watched the two laugh and carry on for two songs. While she fervently disapproved of Ruby's choice in music and Henry's hairdo, she ignored the urge to chastise either of them. Whether Ruby distracted Henry or herself from the bleak situation, Regina wasn't sure, but her heart warmed at her son's wide smile and bright eyes.

Regina clicked down the stairs, unseen until she landed on the hardwood of the foyer. Ruby waved, and Henry whipped around and struck a pose with arms crossed over his chest. Perfectly sculpted eyebrows shot skyward at the attitude in her son's antics, but Regina smiled.

"Hey Mama Bear! Care to join us?" Ruby shook her hips suggestively and wiggled her eyebrows.

Regina shook her head, refusing to yell over the racket. She kissed her son's cheek and waved over her shoulder on the way to the kitchen. She silently blessed Ruby when she found a full coffee pot awaiting her and filled her cup, adding a teaspoon of sugar. Ruby knew how to make the most of a cup of coffee. She sipped it as she waited for a bagel to toast. It popped.

Breakfast and go-go juice in hand, she returned to the door leading to the foyer and leaned as she ate and watched the two dance. They seemed content to ignore her presence in lieu of moving to the beat. Regina swallowed her last bite of bagel and pushed herself off the wall, intending to return to the kitchen when Emma's joyous whoop held her in place.

She moved gingerly, clearly not ready to shake her hips, but her arms and bent knees were very emphatic as she came down the stairs. She wore her normal dark blue skinny jeans, mid-calf boots and a white tank top. Black, thick-framed glasses hung in the hem of the tank top between her breasts. Ruby and Henry cheered and happily accepted her into their mid-morning dance party. Regina smiled widely and felt another laugh bubble in her chest. She laughed rarely, but Emma simply being Emma had inspired the emotion twice in less than an hour.

She almost allowed it to escape her throat until the emotion turned into something warmer when Ruby grabbed Emma's hips from behind and pressed against her, swaying and grinding suggestively on the more rigid Emma. She saw the desire to move similarly against Ruby in those green eyes, but she refrained from trying, knowing it would only lead to a premature ending in pain after their long session of lovemaking only a few hours ago. Water dripped onto the white tank top from her wild hair as she whipped her head about. Regina's lips parted.

Ruby ran her hand up Emma's side sensually, and then their bodies parted under mutual agreement but continued moving. The entire moment had lasted ten seconds and meant nothing, at least not them, other than having a good time with a trusted friend, but to Regina, it bred something akin to jealousy, arousal and a desire to give this sort of dancing a second chance before dismissing it completely. When Emma healed completely, perhaps she'd give her a private lesson in their room. Her breathing hitched, head jerking to attention with the thought. Heat and rouge blew up her chest, neck and face, settling in an uncomfortable burn on the tips of her ears.

She barely heard the doorbell over the music and the pounding of her heart in her ears. She moved across the foyer quickly, thankful for the genuine distraction from thoughts of Emma grinding on her like Ruby had just demonstrated. Her mood, however, darkened when she discovered Snow White on her porch shuffling her feet self-consciously. She clutched a container of something tightly to her stomach, doe eyes wide with anxiety and fear.

"Regina, hi," she greeted. When Regina said nothing, she tried again. "I couldn't sleep, so I made nut bread… a lot of nut bread. This one is blueberry walnut. Blueberry everything used to be your favorite, so…" She shifted weight on her feet again and held out the container.

"Neither could I," Regina deadpanned and then leaned forward and whispered darkly, "So your daughter and I had a lot of s…

"Oh oh oh, oookay," Emma interrupted, barreling to the door and fumbling to get her glasses on her face, but it wasn't soon enough to thwart Regina's pointed statement from piercing its target.

Snow's eyes widened cartoon-ishly. Of course she knew that her daughter was a sexual being - she did have a son after all - but having it thrown in her face by her step-mother/arch nemesis/ former Evil Queen shocked her system. Regina grinned smugly but held further comment.

"Okay," Emma said again. She touched Regina's lower back instinctively when she reached the door. "Hey, Mary Margaret. Thank you, for… whatever that is," Emma waved her hand at the still outstretched container.

"And you, you have got to stop saying shit like that. Sex life off limits as leverage to torture Snow White," she chided Regina, a little offended and very hurt that what they'd shared last night had been reduced to a childish barb thrown at her mother for the sake of making her uncomfortable. Regina realized her mistake immediately.

"I'm sorry, Emma," her words were sincere and slipped out easily, but dark eyes told green that their connection last night meant more than what she'd just made it. What Regina hadn't said earned her forgiveness more than what she had.

Snow watched the interaction curiously and slightly mortified. She snapped her jaws shut when Emma turned back to her after the silent but tense conversation.

"What do you want, Mary Margaret?" Regina adjusted her shoulders and spoke in a more civilized tone. Snow's mouth dropped open again.

"To… check on you," she mumbled, eyes finding her naval. "I was worried, but David wouldn't let me come last night. He's…" she waved her hand, searching for words. "Struggling."

"And have you informed him that Emma is safe and protected and loved, and I tried to kill my mother yesterday. Pales in comparison, doesn't it?" Regina sniped, crossed her arms, turned to the side in silent invitation for Snow to enter her home. Emma and Mary Margaret both stared at her in surprise.

"Quickly. Before I decide to kill you on my stoop," Regina muttered, eyes on her manicured fingernails as the two younger women gawked.

Snow stepped between them and into the foyer. Ruby stood at the top of the stairs leading to the foyer, hands protectively on Henry's shoulders. Her eyes were frozen chocolate, shoulders rigid, but she said nothing. Snow clutched her breakfast treat to her stomach nervously. Emma watched the two for a second and then stepped into Regina bodily, trapping her crossed arms between them.

Regina's head snapped up, eyes only an inch from bright green. Emma kissed her, hard and passionate and slow; one hand slid around Regina's neck, thumb brushing over her windpipe, the other at her hip. Regina was just as surprised as the other three when Emma pulled back.

Snow wasn't horrified like the first time she'd seen them kiss at Granny's. She was clearly uncomfortable, but her eyes held something a little deeper that Emma couldn't identify. Ruby smirked, eyebrow raised, and visibly less tense than she had been 30 seconds ago. Henry looked between his mothers nervously, but hesitant acceptance shown in his eyes.

"Remind me to be nice to you more often," Regina tossed at Snow as she passed her. "Follow me," she added halfway up the stairs.

"Mom, Aunt Ruby said I could go to the diner with her and help Granny in the kitchen again today. Can I?" Henry asked, pain in his voice. He was angry still with Snow White, his grandmother.

Regina hugged him to her chest, his spiked hair poking her chin. She caught Ruby's eyes over his head, and she nodded her permission. Bless this stupid mutt, Regina silently prayed just in case anyone was listening.

"Of course, Sweetheart. You and Granny must work on your hero lessons," Regina encouraged brightly, even if she wanted to rip out Snow's heart for hurting her son. "But only if you promise never to wear this in public," she added quickly.

"I promise!" He conceded easily and bolted for the stairs. Regina watched him a moment and then continued to the kitchen. Ruby stayed at her side.

"Aunt Ruby?" Regina asked quietly, and Ruby shrugged.

"He started calling me that last night. I liked it, so I gave it a dance party," she answered cheekily, a brightness in her eyes that she hadn't had since Belle's accident.

"It's nothing short of miraculous what can heal with the love of a child," Regina commented neutrally, unsure if even Ruby understood the happiness she felt. The wolf nodded.

Regina and Ruby leaned on the counter near the stove, shoulders a hairsbreadth apart; Snow and Emma sat on the other side of the island. An awkward silence stretched, so Emma tore open the container Mary Margaret sat in front of her, inhaling deeply. She'd missed the woman's baked goods.

"Oh my god, that smells amazing," Emma praised and then snagged a piece of the bread enthusiastically. She bit into it, and her shoulders fell dramatically as she stared at her mother. "This is amazing," she said and then shoved more into her mouth.

"Thank you," she mumbled around the moist bread in her mouth.

"Miss Swan," Regina scolded instinctively, and green eyes batted at her from behind square glasses. Regina rolled her eyes and pushed from the counter.

"Care for coffee, Miss Blan… Mary Margaret?" She asked politely as she remembered her own manners.

"That would be wonderful. Thank you," Snow accepted, though she'd already plied herself adequately with caffeine. She willingly exchanged the jittery hands it would surely cause for winning over Regina's continued civility. She wanted her daughter back, and Emma obviously came with Regina now.

"Seriously, Rubes, try this," Emma pushed the container towards Ruby who leaned her long lithe body over the space and snagged a piece. Her eyes squinted in bliss when she bit into the sweet bread, and she quickly steeled her features, not yet willing to give Snow the compliment.

Regina sat a steaming mug in front of Snow and then moved to the refrigerator for a moment before returning with Emma's, fixed perfectly to milky and sweet. Emma wrapped her arm around Regina's waist before she moved away. She held a piece of the bread in the other hand and stared up at Regina with puppy dog eyes.

"You really need to try this, Baby," she used the name intentionally and watched Regina's resistance fade away with an arrogant smirk. Regina huffed, knowing exactly what Emma had done and that she had no power to fight it.

"Blueberries are my favorite," she justified and straightened her spine. She retreated to Ruby's side with the bread, and like the younger woman refused to allow her pleasure at the delectable taste show on her face. Emma cleared her throat, took a sip of coffee, sighed.

"Ok, now that we are all here. What are we going to do about Cora?" She asked abruptly, knowing no gentler way to broach the subject.

"What about the others?" Snow interjected immediately.

"Oh come on, we all know who wears the pants and gives the orders. Your cretins will do whatever you say," Ruby snapped harshly at Emma's mother.

"We do nothing," Regina answered before an argument broke out in her kitchen. "Unless of course you are willing to risk an unknown number of lives in a war of attrition. She wants me, only me for now. One life is a small price to pay for saving an entire population, don't you agree?" Regina's tone might have ended the discussion if she were still queen or mayor, but three voices of protest met her suggestion fervently.

"Enough!" She held up her hand as no single thought rose above the cacophony. "I told you yesterday that Cora is twice as ruthless as I ever was. I have enough blood on my hands. Let me do the right thing, for once," Regina pleaded with them.

"The price is too high," Emma whispered, recognizing Regina's tone as the one used when she'd already made a decision, resigned herself to something unpleasant.

"Nevertheless, I will do what must be done," Regina countered softly, heart clenching painfully at the anguish on Emma's face. "Maybe I can temper Cora's destruction from the other side."

"Look, Mama Bear, I get that you are trying to do the right thing, but she's going to try and make you evil again and use all of us as leverage to make that happen. How much do you think you can take before you give into the darkness and become The Evil Queen again?" Ruby pointed out and crossed her arms, protecting herself from the unpleasant thought.

"As much as I can," Regina answered honestly. "I have Emma's goodness inside of me now. Maybe I can hold out long enough for you to defeat her."

"Regina, forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn, but you had Emma's goodness in you yesterday except it was even stronger because Emma carried your heart. Cora… she destroyed you in less than 10 minutes," Snow spoke up, expecting a tongue lashing in return. It never came.

"I have to try," Regina said sadly and sipped her coffee.

"No, Baby, Mary Margaret and Ruby are right. What you're talking about doing will only be a temporary solution that might lead to something even worst. We need a plan," Emma finally recovered from the emotional blow and added her opinion to the mix.

"What if Regina only pretends to give herself up," Snow offered. "Go to her before the three days are up. She won't expect it. Maybe stage a falling out between you and Emma publicly, so if she is listening or watching, which she probably is, she will think she's broken you. You kept her distracted for a while before when you were grieving for Ruby and that's when she knew that you weren't hers. If she thinks that you have come back to her willingly, perhaps you could hold her off longer this time."

Everyone stared at the pixie-haired woman, astonished. Her idea made all sorts of sense. She'd not harm Regina if she were allowing her time to recover from her heartbreak, and if Regina asked for time before wreaking havoc, Cora might just be caught off guard long enough for them to do something about the situation.

"So, how do we beat her?" Emma asked.

"Her heart," Ruby offered, eyes wide as if surprised by her own words. "I vaguely remember her telling Hook that she kept it in a box somewhere in her possessions. If you had her heart, Regina, you could control her. We wouldn't have to kill her unless you wanted to."

"Belle's proclivity to rehabilitation of dark souls has rubbed off, hasn't it?" Regina quipped, protecting her mind and heart from the possibility that her mother might be saved and given the chance to experience love and forgiveness. Maybe she loved her in her heart if not in her actions. If she'd been without a heart for all these years, Regina wasn't surprised she'd become so twisted.

"I don't like it," Emma started and pushed the container of bread from her as the strong scent of blueberry turned her stomach. "But I don't really see a better option."

"Who else are we bringing in on this?" Snow asked, wanting desperately to tell David to have hope.

"No one," Regina, Emma and Ruby all said at once.

"The less who know, the safer more will be," Regina said.

"Plus, it will help sell mine and Regina's break up," Emma said.

"I'm going with you," Ruby broke the chain and turned to Regina, and it was her turn to be stared at in disbelief by the other three.

"Look, we've been leaning on each other for support for months. I'm sure that Cora has noticed by now that I'm basically emotionally retarded at the moment, so use it. You won't have to be alone that way. I can help you remember who you are. Tell her that I've cracked under the strain, that we're sleeping together. I don't care, just tell her something. The town's kind of gullible, so they'll eat up whatever you guys fight about. Fight about me, and take me with you," Ruby pleaded.

"Come on, Regina. She knows I'm loyal to you. She knows that you defied her to save me. She held me prisoner and tortured me for four days, so it will give me a reason to avoid her and not say something stupid. This will work," Ruby insisted more adamantly.

"I'd feel better if you weren't alone, Regina," Emma added quietly, urging her lover to accept Ruby's noble and incredibly brave offer.

Regina stepped forward and leaned into the island and touched Emma's face with her knuckles. She studied those pleading green orbs, feeling herself giving in with each passing second. The thought of being parted from Emma for even a night made her chest ache with an overwhelming loneliness.

"I will do this if you promise me one thing," Regina whispered, voice thick and deep with tears.

"What?" Emma encouraged as Ruby and Mary Margaret and everything faded, leaving only Regina's beautifully haunted eyes shimmering with tears and her soft knuckles against her cheek.

"When all of this is over, I never want to be parted from you for another night. I don't care if it's here or Boston or New York or under the troll bridge. I want to feel you, every night, for the rest of my life. Can you promise me that?" Regina asked hopefully, pleading with her eyes.

"Are you asking me to marry you?" Emma clarified, searching for understanding, eyes filling with tears.

"If that's what you want, Emma. Everything I have is yours, my house, my body…" She swallowed when her emotions stole her voice. "My heart. Everything that I am. I'm not asking for anything more than to feel you every night. That's all I want. Any further commitment will be yours to decide when you're ready. I'll never ask you for anything more than this," she elaborated and tears dripped onto her cheeks. Her eyes were wide and honest and quietly asking, but they needn't have.

"I want the same thing, Regina," Emma quietly confessed as her tears mimicked her lover's. "So yes, Regina Mills, I'll let you feel me every night for the rest of our lives if you make me the same promise."

They smiled together, the vein in Regina's forehead throbbing with emotion. They moved in an unspoken agreement and met at the end of the island, coming together bodily. Lips crashed painfully, teeth clanking in their need to be joined. Regina's hands moved to their new favorite spot in Emma's hair, and Emma pressed them together in a suffocating embrace with her strong arms around Regina's waist and upper back.

Tears fell from Snow's eyes despite her disapproval of Emma's choice and prayed that Henry never had to complete a family tree for school. Her opinion mattered nothing, not when True Love got involved, and she realized in this moment that that's exactly what Emma and Regina felt for each other. She was the savior and had defeated The Evil Queen, but as Emma did everything, she'd done it in her own way and to hell with what everyone else thought.

Ruby's eyes, also shimmering with tears, met Snow's. She reached for her former best friend's hand and squeezed it tightly. It wasn't quite forgiveness, but they both needed to feel a connection in the highly emotional moment. Snow studied her eyes, finding happiness and something darker like anguish, and covered their joined hands with her other one.

"Uhh, why is everyone crying?" Henry asked from the door of the kitchen, now changed into his normal flannel shirt and jeans, hair wet from the removal of the gel.

"Aunt Ruby, is this one of those 'girl things' you keep telling me about?" He asked, slightly mortified.

The women laughed and wiped their tears in unison. It was the perfect ending to the moment, and they all smiled at the boy, knowing just how lucky he was to be so incredibly loved when none of them had really known it growing up. Emma held Regina's waist as the slightly shorter woman pressed her forehead into her jaw and clasped her hands around her hips.

"Yeah, Kiddo. It's a girl thing," Ruby answered and held out her free hand to him, beckoning him into a sideways hug. He obliged her, still slightly freaked out.

"Go hug your moms. We should get going," Ruby ordered softly, and he obeyed.

The two women bent together and accepted their son into them as one unit and kissed his wet head on each side before letting him go.

"Listen to Granny, and don't go anywhere without Ruby, okay, Kid," Emma instructed, and Regina beamed at her lover's developing parenting skills.

"We love you," Regina added with a glance to Emma, letting her know she'd missed something, and smoothed their son's wet messy mop.

"I love you guys, too. I'll be good, I promise," Henry said. Regina clenched her jaw at the phrase and reminded herself that it hadn't meant the same thing as when she said it to her mother.

"Ruby, we'll be by during the lunch rush," she added pointedly, meeting the wolf's eyes in silent confirmation of their plan.

"See ya then," Ruby confirmed and slung her arm around Henry's shoulders as they exited together, Henry immediately chattering up at her about helping Granny in the kitchen. Ruby smiled down at him, and then they disappeared into the foyer.

Emma's grip tightened as she sensed the emotions building in Regina once more. She desperately wanted to tell their son the truth but held her tongue as she watched them leave. The thought of making him hate her again hurt more than the thought of being parted from Emma.

"He'll understand when it's over, Regina." Two sets of eyes snapped to the forgotten Snow White when she offered words of comfort and wisdom from one mother to another. Snow stood without waiting for a response.

"I'll get as many people to the diner as possible. Don't worry, I won't say anything to David. Just be careful he doesn't shoot you with that ridiculous pistol he keeps in his shoulder holster from the time he gets up until he goes to bed," Snow bit out, clearly irritated with her husband's new weapon.

She cleared her throat and clasped her hands in front of her. If pushed only a little, she might have burst into tears and confessed how much she and her husband had been fighting since returning to Storybrooke. Their trip to The Enchanted Forest had been like a second honeymoon, full of adventures and passion and lots and lots of sex under the stars. Since Regina's failed execution, however, they'd disagreed every step of the way about everything, from what to have for breakfast to whether they should try to accept Emma and Regina as a couple.

She'd given Emma up once and swore she'd never do it again. David confessed to her during a particularly heated argument that he'd willingly followed her into the portal, and she'd slapped him. He held it against her, even though he said he'd forgiven her. She wouldn't have followed him, not at the risk of never seeing her daughter again, and even though she told him that she'd forgiven him for that decision, she didn't. She knew he'd never leave her nor her him, but it still hurt deeply to lose his constant support and loving arms, no matter how briefly. She was alone, and now knew how Regina had felt all those years as her step-mother. It was a torture no one should have endured.

"Emma, your room at the apartment is just how you left it. You and Henry will need a place to stay tonight. Or if you're uncomfortable, a room at Granny's perhaps," Snow gave her a way out of the offer. She'd clearly thought about this plan all night while everyone else slept peacefully or watched television or made love until almost dawn.

"I think Henry will do best surrounded by people who love him," Emma said after a long moment of staring at her mother. Regina smiled at her lover. She'd wanted her to stay with Mary Margaret and David but allowed the decision to be made without her influence.

Snow nodded and then left without saying anything else. The new silence was harsh, and Emma pulled Regina more tightly against her. Regina's lips captured hers commandingly, and green eyes widened in shock, instantly recognizing the need in the other woman. It was the first time she'd initiated or asked for physical comfort in the form of sex. Emma eagerly obliged her need, though she still recovered and ached from their marathon last night. It wasn't the physical release that Regina needed but the connection and reassurance of their deeper bond.

They stumbled through the foyer and recklessly braved the stairs without breaking the kiss. Finally, the bedroom door closed behind them, and Emma immediately surrendered her body to Regina's need to feel her. It was a deep emotional promise to return to her, and Emma prayed Regina was strong enough to keep that promise.


	29. Mom

Hello Dovies! I am sad to report that there will be only 2-4 more chapters to this story, depending on how long they become. I won't continue to the Greg/Tamara stuff because it just doesn't fit anymore. If I do a sequel, I'll use what I have planned for that story. Which let's face it, I love writing this story as much as you seem to love reading it, so there will probably be a sequel, but they will both be stand-alone stories. I won't drag this into a cliffhanger; there will be resolution!

Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews and follows! Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: I'm in Love with a Stripper by T-Pain (for whatever reason, this is the only song that would inspire me during the fight. Weird.) Crushed by Lesley Roy, Say Something by Great Big World and Christina Aguilera

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Regina stood outside the door of Granny's and breathed deeply. She needed to go in. Emma arrived any minute now under the guise of parking the car. Snow wasn't kidding about gathering a large group for the little show they prepared. Half of Storybrooke must have came for lunch today, and vehicles lines the street. Her fingers touched the doorknob, and she braced herself. A few people looked up when she came in, but mostly everyone enjoyed their lunch and conversation.

She and Emma worked out the bigger details and relied on their early relationship for the rest. Ruby met her eyes, and Regina moved behind the counter to greet her. She turned her back from the full dining room and indicated that Ruby should do the same with one finger. When the wolf sidled up next to her, Regina slid a hand across her lower back and then dropped it to rest on the back of her hip and the swell of Ruby's ass. The wolf's eyes widened and she jerked involuntarily in surprise at Regina's brazen touch.

"Where's Henry?" Regina asked, leaning her lips so close to Ruby's ear they actually brushed the shell when she spoke. Ruby returned the gesture.

"Upstairs in the apartment. Emma?" Ruby's voice raised on Emma's name, enough to catch the attention of the man across the counter. They glanced around and noticed a few other people studying their interaction.

"She's parking the car," Regina answered, allowing a slight tremor as she sank into her role. "Ruby," she turned into the wolf, not quite pressing their fronts together as they both knew she would have Emma. No one else knew that. Her hand remained on her lower back, and the other clutched her shoulder.

"Regina, you should probably…" Ruby started, trying to follow the game but unsure where it was leading.

"No, Ruby, she knows. She's coming. You need to go, now, before she gets here." Regina led her as best she could. Ruby's eyes softened as she understood exactly what she and Emma would fight about.

"What do you mean? How did she find out?" Ruby whispered harshly as she grabbed Regina's elbow and moved her towards the kitchen door when she noticed a customer taking particular interest. This was supposed to be a semi-private conversation between two forbidden lovers after all.

"I'm not sure, but you need to go, Ruby. Please, she's got her gun with her. I guess when I put my heart in her yesterday, some of my darkness stayed. I'm not sure she'll be able to stop herself. Darling, please." Regina laid it on thick, wide scared eyes, slightly quivering voice. Her hand pressed into Ruby's shoulder intimately. She began to feel the anxiety of Emma's arrival even though she knew it was all an act and she was not in any actual danger. Regina was good.

"Look, it's just Emma, right? I'm sure she won't even make a scene. Plus, wolf remember. I'm strong enough to take her if it gets physical," Ruby assured her the way she might Belle. This was the weirdest thing she'd ever done, and that's saying something for someone who spent three nights of every month as a canine.

"I won't let her hurt you. We have been through too much. We kept this town from blowing apart. You are too important, Ruby. I don't care if The Evil Queen is supposed to be saved by the child of Snow White and Prince Charming. I won't give you up," Regina pressed herself into Ruby, tucking her head beneath her chin and wrapping her arms around her tiny waist. Had Ruby lost weight?

The bell jingled, and Ruby's heart pounded. Gods, this felt real. Regina needed to teach her some queenly tricks to pull off such grand schemes. Regina slid around the counter, letting her go easily. One hand stretched before her as she crossed quickly to Emma. She grabbed Emma's shoulders, halting her process in the middle of the diner.

"Emma, please. Let's go home and talk about this," Regina started, glancing around at the blatantly staring eyes of the citizens of Storybrooke. Emma nearly lost her focus when she realized that Regina had the entire room eating out of her hand.

"No, Regina, I do not want to go home," she spat and swiped Regina's hands from her shoulders and then crossed her arms. "I want to talk to her," Emma's voice was calm and cold. Good girl, Regina thought. Build slowly. It's more believable.

"Later Emma, when you've had time to think and accept this. Please," Regina begged. "Please, let's just go home. Our son is only upstairs," Regina pleaded, informing Emma at the same time of Henry's location. She put a hand on Emma's crossed arms, and Emma recoiled.

"In a minute, damn it!" Emma jerked away from her and then pushed her out of the way with her shoulder as she moved towards Ruby. Her hand rested dangerously on the firearm at her side.

"Is that who you are, Ruby Lucas?" The diner was silent at this point, and despite Emma's lowered voice, her words here audible to every ear. "I was in a coma! For ten days. I almost died to save her life, and all this time you were banging her behind my back!" Emma pushed Ruby's shoulders roughly as she settled into her character. Her voice cracked with emotion, and Ruby snarled.

Regina covered her hands with her face, pulling her tears forward intentionally. Snow watched from a booth in the back with an open mouth, almost believing the scene. David stood slowly, and she grabbed his hand.

"I'm sorry that you're hurt Emma. I really am," Ruby started gently and then drove the point home. "But Regina and I connect in a way that you could never understand. Let her go," Ruby pleaded. It was an act, but there was truth in the words. They smacked into Emma harder than expected, and genuine jealousy and anger pulled into her heart.

Ruby's head snapped back when Emma decked her unexpectedly. Her eyes flashed yellow as she wiped blood from her mouth on the back of her hand and then loosed her fist onto Emma's. It was enough to bust it but nothing close to full wolf strength.

"Stop this!" Regina yelled and situated herself between the two women fighting for her affection. She jerked Emma back with a hand on her shoulder and continued to Ruby, touching her cheek gently.

Emma screamed and flung herself at Regina and Ruby. Regina ducked below her arm and pushed her backwards, knowing that she caused Emma pain with the pressure on her stomach, but Emma had settled too deeply into the role and the real emotions it evoked. She'd been shot. She nearly died, and she hadn't dealt with that yet. It bubbled to the surface.

"Emma stop! Just stop! This is madness. I chose Ruby. I'm sorry," Regina continued, nearly slipping as the very real urge to comfort Emma floated to the surface. "Please, you're making a scene."

"I gave you everything! I gave you my heart. I almost gave my life for you! Look!" She jerked her shirt up and displayed her scars. "This was for you, and this is how you repay me? Fucking the wolf who almost sent you back to your psycho mom. What the fuck are you thinking, Regina?" Emma paused and cocked her head to the side, appearing to put the pieces together just like they'd planned.

"That's it, isn't it? You've been working with Cora the whole time," she accused and widened her stance as her momentum grew. "After all, it was Ruby who she supposedly killed, but she was with her for four days. You both were. You've been in on her plan from the start. That's why you gave up so easily yesterday," Emma drove the stake in, jaws clenching. The actions could have been perceived as anger, but guilt pooled in her stomach at Regina's dejected expression.

"Everyone hear that! Regina Mills, Evil Queen and brilliant actress! She had me fooled," her last words were quiet, meant to hurt Regina, not intentionally, but they stung nonetheless.

"Well, I got you figured out now. You haven't changed. You never will, you evil bitch." Emma stepped forward menacingly.

"Do you think Henry will love you when he finds out what you're planning? He's going to spit on your name and then I am taking MY son and leaving Storybrooke forever. No one is going to stop me." She spread her arms emphatically, indicating the unmoving citizens taking in the scene and then backed away arrogantly. It wasn't enough, and Regina followed her.

"He is my son, and you will take him nowhere," Regina's voice went icy. Time for the big finish.

"He is not! He's mine, and you will never see him again! And neither will you," Emma glanced at Ruby pointedly. "I'm going to put you down for real this time," she pulled her gun from the holster.

She and Regina had planned this, so she knew what happened next, but it still caught her off guard. Her whole body crackled with static when Regina immobilized her. She'd done it a few times at the mansion so the shock wouldn't deaden Emma's brain and pull her out of character, but it still hurt. She fought against it instinctively, but her body ignored her commands. She felt a new sympathy for Regina's aversion to restraints if this was what Cora used to do to her.

"If you want to see The Evil Queen so badly, Savior, then here she is," Regina stepped into her personal space, face an inch from hers.

The door banged open behind Emma with a flick of Regina's chin. She stared into Emma's eyes, sneered and grabbed Emma's cheeks with one hand. She pressed a kiss to her lips, and Emma knew it was Regina's way of apologizing for what was about to happen. Emma flicked her tongue against Regina's lip, knowing she couldn't risk breaking the scene by moving her lips against her lover's.

"Stay away from my wolf, little girl," Regina threatened and pushed both hands in front of her, holding them there as Emma flew through the air. The vein in her forehead popped as she controlled Emma's fall. Her still healing muscles would be sore but no worst for wear in the morning.

"Hey!" David yelled and broke free from Snow's grasp.

Regina's eyes turned to Ruby's and told the waitress that time for their exit had arrived. She flung a hand towards David, freezing his movements as Ruby moved to her. Others began rising as well, ready to defend their prince. Idiots. She'd have burned this place to the ground by now if she were actually evil and wanted to hurt them. Ruby wrapped her lanky arms around Regina's chest and waist from behind, and they both disappeared in a swirl of purple smoke.

The diner shifted and stirred. David nearly fell forward, evidence of his struggle against the restraints. He glanced at his wife and then immediately rallied the crowd with outlandish accusations against Regina, even though she'd not injured anyone. Snow fought the urge to roll her eyes. The town immediately railed against the idea of Regina roaming free, and it turned her stomach.

Regina worked so very hard for redemption, and she'd begun winning over the town. She'd be forced to start all over again, even though she'd done everything for them, to save everyone. They never saw her vulnerable and begging to sacrifice her own life to save them from Cora earlier this morning. She had seen it, the change, and now fought the urge to lash out at the gullibility of her people. Had they not seen Regina's softness, her love for Emma? Had they not noticed how her eyes track her daughter across a room? She only returned a little over a week ago and noticed immediately.

She brushed past her husband and walked out the door. Emma groaned and held her head in her hands on the stoop. She seemed relatively unharmed, rattled, but fine. Snow pulled the door shut behind her, blocking out the crowd. She sat beside Emma, knees pointing towards her daughter. Emma glanced over at her, and Snow gasped at the unshed tears.

"Please go get my son," she pleaded with her mother. "Take him out the back way. He doesn't need to see that," she jerked her thumb over her shoulder.

"I'll be back in a minute," Snow promised and set a hesitant hand on her shoulder.

Emma closed her eyes and dropped her head again. She hated not knowing where Regina had gone. Perhaps they should have deigned some sort of rendezvous point for secret meetings but knew they hadn't because they needed to be parted until this ended. She allowed herself to wallow for one more minute and then stood as Henry and Snow rounded the building.

Emma wrapped an arm around his shoulders and fell into step beside them. The apartment was only a block away. Henry pressed into her, scared though he knew little of what just happened. She promised Regina that she would allow nothing and no one to brainwash him against her like before. It was a risk they both took willingly, knowing their son kept secrets well. Snow followed a step behind.

When they arrived, Henry asked to go up to Emma's room and read. She allowed it and slumped onto the couch, feet immediately finding the stained and chipped coffee table. She'd never have gotten away with this at Regina's. Mary Margaret ambled around her apartment aimlessly and finally dropped to the other end of the sofa.

"That almost felt real, and I knew it was fake," she said to the floor and wrung her hands.

"I think some of it was," Emma answered. The other woman studied her compassionately and then moved to the middle cushion, not quite crowding her but close enough to reach out for comfort if Emma needed her.

"What do you mean, Sweetheart?" Snow asked carefully, trying and failing to keep her voice neutral.

"I was shot. I almost died. I don't know how to move forward from that, and Regina keeps touching my damn scar. She doesn't know how it gets to me, and I don't say anything because I know that she's trying to deal with it in her own way. She said that it's her way of accepting it, touching the scar I mean, but she still sees me as that person who is close to death in a hospital bed. I know that's why she'd not sleeping." Emma gushed in one breath.

"Emma," Mary Margaret tried to find words but came up short of her daughter's name.

"Thing is," Emma continued, staring straight ahead like she'd not heard her mother. "I'd do it again. We both know I would. She kissed it for a long time the first time we made love. It kind of freaked me out, and when I asked what she was doing, she said accepting me, who I was born to be. She's trying to come to terms with the fact that I'd do it again a thousand times if it meant she or Henry or Ruby or you or a perfect stranger wouldn't be injured. It's who I am," Emma finished when tears stung her throat and spilled onto her cheeks.

"You're a hero, Emma. A protector, a guardian. It terrifies me, too, but I couldn't be more proud to call you my daughter," Snow said softly, hands jerking in her lap.

She ached to touch her grieving daughter but knew that decision remained with Emma. She'd lost her right to presume anything when it came to Emma when she'd abandoned her and rejected Regina, tried to kill her. Emma's eyes slowly raised to hers as the words slipped into her heart. Her mother was proud of her.

"Mom," Emma whined, her voice tight and high with emotion and the involuntary act of crying. Snow melted and pulled her daughter into her arms.

Emma allowed it, simply accepting the comfort at first. Her shoulders and chest quaked violently, and she wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and pressed her forehead into her neck. Snow's eyes slipped shut and sighed silently as one hand settled against Emma's hair reverently. She knew their relationship hadn't been repaired, but this was the start of that. She'd earned her daughter's respect and love again and vowed to protect that no matter the cost. She called her Mom.

Snow's confidence expanded the longer Emma stayed tucked against her. Her fingers played with tangled golden tresses, traced soothing circles on her back. She even rocked her at one point, and still Emma clung to her long after the tears dried and her breathing evened out. Snow's back ached from her efforts, but she determined that she'd comfort Emma until she found her strength again.

They jerked apart when the door to the apartment banged open, revealing a very pissed off David and the dwarves. Emma retreated into herself again, and Snow cursed her husband silently as she marched to the door. She halted their progress into the apartment with only her angry glare.

"You need to get a room at Granny's or stay with one of the dwarves," she ordered her husband.

"I need to be here to protect our family, Snow," he protested and then started towards Emma. Snow stepped in front of him again.

"You forget that I am Snow White and our daughter is the Savior. We have all the protection we need. Regina won't harm us while Henry is here," she added for good measure. He listened, a glimpse of her husband poking through the angry exterior.

"Please, David. She thought Regina was her true love. She needs time to process what's happened and listening to your plans to murder her lover are not going to help that. Please, leave, now," Snow pleaded gently, telling her husband with her tone that she was doing what was best for their daughter.

"Okay," he conceded after a long moment of staring between her and Emma's bent form on the couch. "I love you, Emma," he said to her back with no indication that she'd heard him. "I love you, Snow."

"I love you, too, David," she said quietly and kissed him, hands rested on his muscled chest. "Now, go be a hero," she whispered. Even though it was a fake fight, she loved watching him take control.

"If you need me…" the sentence hung in the air as he departed quietly, leaving them alone once more.

"Thank you," Emma's quiet voice called from the couch.

"You're welcome," Snow answered. "Would you like some lunch? I think I've got mac'n cheese," she asked suddenly, moving to the kitchenette without waiting for a response.

She'd never tell Emma that Regina had sent her a text earlier. It was one sentence, and she hadn't asked for an elaboration. If Regina felt strongly enough about it to text her personally, it was important enough without explanation. _Make sure she eats._

On the opposite side of town, Regina and Ruby materialized in her foyer, both breathing heavily. Regina's hands shook from the adrenaline, but a smile pulled at her lips. They'd done it. This was going to work. It had to. Now, they waited for the angry mob to come for The Evil Queen. David surely had begun developing a plan and mobilizing his troops for action, and when they arrived at her door, she'd run straight back to Cora's arm. She shivered at the thought, and Ruby loosened her grip but kept her arms in place.

"No!" Ruby yelled into her ear. "No no no no," she whined in a voice similar to a child's.

Ruby's arms fell away. Something thumped behind her. A hard object collided with her temple as she whirled around, the momentum of it pushing her backwards a few feet as she crashed to the floor. Her hands pressed against the wooden planks in attempt to push her to her feet, but she gained no height. Blood droplets slid down her jaw and splashed in front of her, and then the world went dark. What happened to Ruby? Who had been waiting for them? She collapsed to the floor.


	30. Look into My Eyes

Hello my sweet, sweet doves! This was an unusually difficult chapter to write. Sorry for the delay, and enjoy, my lovelies!

Songs: Only a Memory and Think I'm Sick by Icon for Hire, Demons by Imagine Dragons

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Regina woke slowly. Her throat ached from dryness, and she swallowed repeatedly and took stock of her situation. She sat in a chair, wood from the harsh edges pressing into her spread thighs. Her hands were attached to the chair with ropes, and cold steel bit into her wrists. She wiggled them lightly and winced, recognizing them as the enchanted shackles that tempered her magic. She was defenseless. Her ankles were also tied to the chair, making her legs essentially useless.

She swallowed again and raised her head from the uncomfortable angle at which it hung on her chest. Her back and shoulder muscles protested the movement angrily, telling her she'd been in this position for several hours by now. Something sticky cracked and pulled the skin of her face and chest as she moved. Blood. Her blood. Her last memory rushed into her, turning her stomach. Someone had waited for her and Ruby to return to the mansion and ambushed them.

Ruby. Her eyes flew open, body jerking to life with the spike of adrenaline. She regretted it immediately. Relentless pounding thumped inside her skull and her stomach pitched bile into her throat. She swallowed and closed her eyes, forcing her body to relax before she puked all over herself from the pain. The blow to her head had caused a concussion, she noted, adding it the mental list of injuries and facts.

Slowly, she raised her head again and waited a few minutes before cracking her eyes. A dark, windowless room greeted her. It was damp and cold and silent, like a tomb. The scent of mold and must tickled her nose. She was definitely underground somewhere in Storybrooke because her magic pulsed and banged against her, looking for a way out that would never come. A single lamp on the floor in the corner lit a small area. An extension cord trailed across the floor and she followed it with her eyes, but between her blurry vision and the darkness, she found no ending, no stairs or door, and no Ruby. She turned her neck as far as she could and glanced behind her. Darkness.

"Ruby?" She croaked out, hoping the other woman hadn't been severely injured. "Ruby?" She tried again. Where the hell was she?

Panic tore at her chest, and she fought for control of her breathing. What if Ruby had truly been killed this time? Cora was obviously responsible for this. Or Gold, but that likelihood was slim since he threw himself at Lacey every minute of every day now that he'd won her affections. Still, it was possible, and if they wanted her broken and submissive, killing her family would be the fastest path to that goal. She'd have nothing left to live for, except vengeance, and she refused to go there again if she had the ability to stop herself. It's not what Emma and Henry would have wanted, and she prayed her resolve was never tested.

Her head dropped again when no response found her. If the darkness concealed her friend, she remained unconscious or injured beyond responsiveness.

"I'll get us out, Ruby," Regina whispered just in case Ruby listened in the darkness and then gave herself over to the appealing pull of unconsciousness.

When she awoke the second time, her mind cleared much more quickly. Her head throbbed but her stomach had settled considerably. Her neck pinched and groaned and pissed her off with its general bitching from the position she'd left it. She rolled it side to side gently, trying to ease its suffering. The pain felt disconnected from her mind somehow. She felt it, knew where it existed and why, but it hindered her thoughts and movements very little. Perhaps she'd gone into slight shock from the situation.

She snorted and dismissed the thought. She was Regina fucking Mills as Emma or Ruby might have said, and dangerous situations were her forte. She got off on them. She'd never gone into shock for any type of pain or panic. Bracing herself against the agony and dizziness, she opened her eyes and nearly cried out at the sight that greeted her.

In the circle of dim light, Ruby lay unconscious, hands tied behind her back, ankles bound together. Dirt and dried blood covered her jeans and red shirt, matted her hair to her scalp, but her chest pulled the crimson fabric tight and then released the tension in rapid succession. She breathed. She lived. Regina relaxed.

"Ruby," she whispered, voice raspy and deep from lack of use. She swallowed, gathered her spit and swallowed again.

"Ruby, get up," she ordered with a little more force, and the wolf's face scrunched slightly.

"Ruby, you stupid mutt, get up!" Regina demanded now that she'd seen a sign of awareness from the other woman. Ruby was tough. She handled commands with grace and dignity. They'd cry and drink and make up later.

"I think the Roadrunner dropped an anvil on my head," Ruby grumbled. She tried to straighten her legs and cried out in anguish, a sound Regina knew would haunt her for many nights to come.

"Ruby, talk to me," Regina distracted her from the pain, her voice a sharp edge that cut through her suffering.

"Legs," she grunted. "She broke my fucking legs," Ruby spat as her anger overcame her pain.

"Get over it, you stupid mutt," Regina tossed at her. Anger helped Ruby cope, and she certainly needed the distraction. "It's no wonder Lacey left your pathetic ass for Gold."

"Hey, fuck you! Your mom is a goddamn nut bag, you know that? I'm surprised you didn't crush your own heart just to get away from her," Ruby unleashed her anger, not quite in tune with what Regina was doing.

"I think I'll have a go at Lacey next. She's practically giving it away," Regina smirked and raised one thin eyebrow.

"Stay the fuck away from Belle, you twisted bitch!" Ruby jerked herself upright, eyes glowing. She winced and growled into the pain as it crashed into her from the sudden movement. She levered her hands on the floor and scooted until her back hit the wall. She glared at Regina, eyes flickering wickedly in the darkness. Clarity and irritation settled into her features.

"You're a real bitch, you know that?" Ruby spat blood onto the floor, pissed but grateful for Regina's unorthodox methods.

"You're welcome," Regina replied and leaned back, alleviating the pressure on her shoulders and wrists.

"Fuck you," Ruby scraped. "Just, fuck you, Regina Mills. Fuck your psychopath mom and your goddamn magic and your perfect fucking happy ending. Fuck Emma Swan and fuck Snow White and Prince Twatwaffle and fuck blissful fucking Eva Zambrano. Crossing the fucking line sounds more and more appealing every goddamn second you are in my life." Ruby's rant ended in harsh coughing and flying spit.

Her head thumped against the wall audibly as she caught her breath. Regina controlled her own breathing and allowed Ruby's words to roll off her. There may be truth to them, but Ruby hadn't meant them. She only needed an outlet for her physical pain and the mental duress. Regina gave her that without judgment. She'd only been rescued from her first captivity less than two weeks ago. The nightmares began only a few days ago. Surely, even someone as strong as Ruby cracked under that strain, but the outburst was an indubitably Ruby reaction, which meant Cora hadn't taken her heart.

"Prince Twatwaffle?" Regina raised an eyebrow, an hysterical chuckle bubbling in her chest.

Ruby laughed. The anger faded as they giggled together at David's expense. It faded naturally, and Regina shifted uncomfortably. She'd hoped Ruby might have wiggled to her so that one of them could be released, but Ruby barely sat up from the pain in her legs. She'd never have made it across the floor.

"Ruby," it was gentle, searching. The wolf rolled her head towards the other woman but said nothing. "I'd never touch her," Regina said clearly, eyes never wavering in their connection to the younger woman's.

"I know that, you silly witch," Ruby replied, an amused glint in her eyes at Regina's need to even say the words. She sobered. "I really am happy for you and Emma."

"I know," Regina tried to smile, but it turned into a grimace. Her shoulders cramped and tingled painfully. "I'd numb your legs, but I have no magic. My shackles are enchanted to trap my magic within me."

Ruby snorted and leaned her head against the wall. "That sounds uncomfortable." Regina hummed a response. "How fucked are, Regina?"

"Rough anal with electric nipple clamps?" Regina offered nonchalantly. Ruby's mouth fell open. She commanded her mind to formulate a response and failed miserably for several minutes. Despite their situation, Regina was glad Ruby talked her into bringing her, if for nothing else than as a distraction from the pain and hopelessness of the situation.

"One day I will swear, I will get Emma Swan drunk off her ass and make her divulge all of the kinky details. Did you bring your old wardrobe over from the other side? Some of those dresses definitely set an unattainably high bar for tits and dominatrixes everywhere, this land included." Ruby joked, but Regina squirmed uncomfortably rather than smiling or rolling her eyes.

"I'm not certain Emma would enjoy them as much as you think," Regina confessed quietly. Ruby cocked her head to the side curiously.

"She has eyes, doesn't she? Plus, she knows what's beneath," Ruby searched for a reason behind Regina's sudden shyness about her appearance.

"I don't deny the arousing qualities or Emma Swan's susceptibility to them," Regina clipped regally but offered nothing more.

"Then what?" Ruby prodded, pushing Regina out of her comfort zone. Regina puffed and adjusted her shoulders again.

"She's…" she sighed again, and Ruby imagined if her hands had been unrestrained she'd have waved one in the air.

"She's gentle," Regina confessed quietly. The wolf's eyebrow scrunched downward, the conversation having taken an unexpected and very serious and intimate turn. "I've never… I mean… We should not be talking about this," Regina shut down and straightened her spine rigidly.

"Regina, it's just me here. It's okay. This is a really shitty situation. If we die tonight, you should go out thinking about something that obviously made you happy," the younger woman encouraged, pushing the sorceress to remember all the reasons she needed to find a way out of this mess. Regina stared at her, face tight with emotion.

"I've never, umm, made love before her," she started after a long moment. "Gentle never really cut it before," Regina admitted shyly, heat rising in her chest. They were held captive and both in massive amounts of pain and completely uncertain if they'd live long enough to see morning, but the thought of Emma's hands against her skin and wide green eyes watching every nuance of her body as she climaxed made her blush like a schoolgirl.

"So, Emma's the first to get you off with emotion instead of pain," Ruby clarified, speaking aloud more to sort her thoughts than ask a question. The crude words made both women smile, but it was short lived.

A door creaked open in the distance, followed by the distinctive _tip-tap_ of high heels echoing what apparently was a hallway. Cora emerged from the darkness, and Regina stilled in anger for a moment. Everything slowed in her mind and then slammed into her like a breaking dam. She jerked against her restraints, animalistic grunts and growls tearing from her throat. Cora only smirked and watched her daughter struggle.

When Regina calmed after a few minutes, chest heaving, head throbbing, vision spinning and fresh blood dripping from her wrists. Cora huffed a short bark of mocking laughter and knelt beside Ruby. The wolf clenched her jaws and hardened her eyes, but even then the fear shone clearly.

"Leave her alone, Mother. She's defenseless, useless to you," Regina warned the older woman who only smiled wider.

"Oh Darling, the wolf has been ever so useful," Cora mocked Regina, but her eyes were on Ruby. She brushed knuckles over a blood-stained cheek, and Ruby jerked away in disgust.

Cora clicked her tongue in disappointment and waved her hand over Ruby's body. She healed her? The relief brought tears to the young wolf's eyes, and her body slumped further into the wall. Cora touched her face again, and this time Ruby leaned into it gratefully. Regina's stomach turned. Something was off.

"Thank you," Ruby said in the soft voice she used after an emotional moment with Regina. She'd never heard it any other time. Cora waved her hand, and Ruby's bonds fell away limply.

"Stand, Wolf Pup. You've performed your trick wonderfully. Perhaps I'll give you a treat later," Cora cooed at Ruby and helped her stand.

"Ruby?" Regina asked, her mind desperately spinning its wheels to catch up to the situation.

Ruby stood behind Cora's right shoulder, a stance she'd taken a dozen times when Regina needed silent support or protection. Cora occupied what was supposed to be her place. Her eyes bounced back and forth between them. Ruby had her heart. She'd felt it twice now, and only a few minutes ago, the reactions were all Ruby's, not a manipulation and not the deadened response of one with no heart.

"Have I pleased you, Cora, is she broken?" Ruby asked, insecurity shining in her eyes. Even in Cora's thrall, Ruby only sought love and affection and acceptance. Regina's stomach roiled and clenched, either from Ruby's actions or her concussion.

"Nearly, Wolf Pup," Cora answered, eyes on Regina, studying her reaction to the familiar nick name. Bile crept up her throat and saliva gushed into her mouth. She was going to puke so she remained silent and swallowed repeatedly.

"You see, my daughter, heart magic is so much more elaborate than the taking and crushing. You really haven't a clue what you wield, do you?" Cora turned her back and walked a circle around Ruby who stood docile and submissive. "She's magnificent, isn't she?"

Regina met Ruby's eyes, searching for something of her friend inside. The pain caught her off guard, the helplessness in those deep brown eyes. Her body obeyed Cora, but her eyes pleaded with Regina to save her, to kill her, to release her from her internal prison anyway possible.

"What did you do?" Regina asked coldly, eyes holding Ruby's though she spoke to Cora. She softened her face and conveyed a silent promise to Ruby with her eyes, telling her that she'd find a way to free her.

"I took her heart," Cora tapped her fingers on Ruby's chest and trailed them over her breast and stomach, stopping at Ruby's hip where they stayed. Ruby's eyes hardened slightly, the only indication of her torture. Cora grinned and held up a pouch at her waist for Regina to see without turning from the young wolf. A light red-ish pulse shone between the tiny slits between the fabric threads. Ruby's heart.

"I replaced it with my own. I knew you'd never trust her if I controlled her, her reactions and words had to be her own. Her intentions, however, were mine. You were wise in choosing her as your right hand, Regina. She's smart and resilient, quite the fighter. Cheeky little wolf discovered in only a few days that alcohol dulled my inhibitions, helped her think and act more like herself. Some days, I barely had enough control to maintain her silence about her situation. Of course, those days she also drove your beloved son around while rather intoxicated," Cora whispered and leaned close to Ruby's face. She pressed a kiss to Ruby's throat, and brown eyes clamped shut as a tear slipped out. She fought Cora's control. She could be saved.

"I had wondered if you'd fall for my carefully thought out scheme, Regina. Your weakness for these fools almost destroyed our reunion," Cora tossed over shoulder, hands still moving over Ruby's chest and face almost reverently.

"She's so strong and growing stronger with each day that brings us closer to the full moon. It's less than a week away, and if you'd held out much longer, she'd have told you everything. Our dear Wolf Pup nearly refused the command to restrain you and bring you here," Cora revealed, and Regina gasped. That's why Ruby had screamed at the manor. She had resisted knocking her unconscious. Had she used her fist?

"She's lucky you are so desperately pathetic," Cora continued, oblivious to her daughter's thoughts and reactions. "I'd have hated to crush such a resilient heart. After breaking the link in our lifelines, of course," Cora smiled up at the wolf, and Ruby stoically accepted her fate, her failure, knowing she could have killed Cora if she'd been strong enough to kill herself. Cora watched her struggle with fascination.

"You confessed so many things when you thought you were alone with your friend. Dear, sweet Emma Swan melted your frozen heart, separated your pain from your pleasure," she said distractedly, absorbing Ruby's beguiling war of attrition between her thoughts and emotions and her actions. Regina clenched her jaw and refused her mother's bait in spite of the sting of uncomfortable betrayal. Cora had heard every single conversation she'd exchanged with her best friend.

"How long?" Regina forced around the bile in her throat. How much had she learned? How long had her closest friend suffered in silence? Ruby's renewed abuse of alcohol made sense now. It wasn't because she'd given up and self-medicated because of Belle. She silently fought her mother's will.

"Since the day she was presumed dead," Cora laughed. "She was such a good girl on Hook's ship, playing her part perfectly. I rewarded her greatly. Hook is an attractive scoundrel, and it took very little urging from my heart to tap into that wolf passion that she keeps so closely guarded and locked away. The poor fellow limped for nearly a day afterwards," Cora laughed at the memory.

Ruby leaned forward and snagged Cora's neck in her hand, shaking bodily with the effort of defying the heart inside her chest. Cora chuckled and gently removed the hand, like a mother might a flailing infant. Ruby trembled violently but remained still.

"Don't worry, Wolf Pup. He won't return for an encore. The silly man has honor in spite his unsavory station in life. He disappeared when he discovered our little secret. I struggle to believe that he's never taken advantage of a compromised woman before you, Dear." She touched Ruby's face again. Regina bristled.

"Stop, Mother! You want to hurt me, then hurt me. Leave Ruby alone," Regina commanded, lips pulled into a sneer and proud that she'd maintained a calm and even voice.

Cora whirled with a smile on her face and crossed to her daughter. She knelt and gently placed her hands on her knees. Regina glared down at her with cold eyes and a confidence she never felt.

"Oh my darling Regina, my child, you and I both know the only way to hurt you is by hurting the people you love. It's your weakness." Cora's eyes filled with a sick sort of glee when Regina's filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Ruby," Regina whispered as shameless tears slid down her face. She met the wolf's gaze and found forgiving eyes staring back at her. Ruby hadn't given up on her yet. It lit her darkening soul. Ruby had promised to remind her of who she was while within her mother's grasp. Even under Cora's influence, Ruby kept her promise valiantly, her eyes her only tool.

"Don't stop fighting, Ruby. Emma will come for us," Regina offered what comfort she could in her position. Ruby squinted, and Regina knew she believed the same.

"And then the only one left would be your sniveling brat. He is easily enough disposed of without the savior to protect him," Cora laid out her plan as she stood and clicked down the darkened hall. She needn't have watched Regina's reaction. She knew exactly where her words hit.

"Ruby, come!" Cora commanded. Ruby hesitated, eyes pleading with Regina.

"I'll get it back for you, Ruby. Hold on a little longer and keep fighting. I'll get you back, I promise," Regina called after her best friend as she disappeared into the darkness.

The door echoed loudly on the stone walls, and Regina hung her head. She gave herself over to the tears of grief and frustration she'd held back in front of her mother.

_Emma, please hurry._ She pleaded silently as a scream tore from her throat.


	31. I'm Here

Well, My Doves, it's been a helluva ride! This is the final chapter to this emotionally taxing and wonderful journey. There will be an epilogue and probably a sequel. Thank you all so much for taking this journey with me and for loving these characters as much as I do.

Songs: Think I'm Sick and Theatre by Icon for Hire, I'll Try by Cassidy Dickens (this is an original song by a very good friend of mine. Please check out this wonderful and beautiful and talented human being on you tube. Her channel is under her name. This song is my Cora/Regina/Emma song, but I saved it for last because it always makes me cry knowing the story behind it. It's just too perfect.)

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Emma rolled over again, squirming until she found a cool spot on the bed. The last time she'd checked the clock on her cell phone, it had informed her it was after three and that she'd been wallowing on the bed for nearly four hours without succumbing to the bliss of sleep. She sighed and rolled herself to the edge. Her stomach stretched and complained; she ignored it. She was fine. Regina ensured that during their fight and their lovemaking.

She ran her hands through her hair and stood with a glance in Henry's direction. He slept soundly on the cot they'd set up across the room. She shimmied out of her pajama pants quickly and changed into jeans, eyes anxiously watching her unconscious son. She'd worn a bra and t-shirt to bed since her son slept in the same room. He was already scarred, and she felt certain waking up to his mother's nipples pointing all over the place would have pushed him over the edge. She secured her holster and gun, grabbed her boots, and slipped out the door silently.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she found her mother staring into a cup of coffee at the small island. She glanced at a fully clothed Emma and then silently crossed to the coffee pot and poured her a cup. Emma accepted it gratefully, not even bothering to sweeten the dark liquid.

"I couldn't sleep either," Mary Margaret commented absently and reclaimed her stool. Emma studied her tired face. After everything, Snow White still loved the woman who had acted as her step-mother for nearly a decade. It was remarkable.

"I'm going over there. She and Ruby should be with Cora by now. David said no one was there when he went over there earlier. Is it okay if Henry stays here? I don't want to wake him." Emma explained her plans in a voice that left no room for argument.

"Of course, he can stay," Snow answered immediately, joy filling her heart. Emma had begun to trust her again. "What are you going to do?" Emma blew out a harsh sigh.

"Honestly? I'm going to go try and sleep in her bed. It's the only way I know how to be near her right now," Emma answered, slightly embarrassed. Snow only smiled and nodded.

"Call if you need anything," she answered neutrally and sipped her coffee. Emma nodded, gulped half of hers in one go and then left without further comment, snagging the keys to her cruiser on the way.

She blew through the wet empty streets of Storybrooke. Not even the earlier rain tapping soothingly against the window had lulled her into unconsciousness. It was one of her favorite things about Storybrooke, the frequent rainstorms. They usually calmed her but not this night. This night nothing would have soothed her nerves except for the soft hands and shy smile of her lover.

She paused when she pulled up to Regina's walkway. The front door stood wide open. The foyer was dark. Light came only from the streetlamps and the automatic lights at the corners of Regina's mansion. Emma stepped out of her cruiser and unsnapped her holster, hand resting on the butt of her gun. She called Mary Margaret.

"Emma? Is everything okay?" Asked the confused voice of her mother on the other end in the middle of the first ring.

"I'm not sure. I'm fine, but Regina's door is open. Can you wake up David and ask him if he left it open?" Emma clipped proficiently. She hadn't the time for niceties. Mary Margaret shuffled on the other end, and then muffled voices murmured in the back ground.

"Emma, he said that the door was open when he got there as was the blood," Snow said in a slightly frustrated voice.

"Blood?" She pulled her gun and ran towards the front door, not bothering to wait for a response.

She held the gun in front of her and flipped on the light. The house was silent, no creaking of floorboards or thumping of feet. It seemed empty, but Emma climbed the stairs vigilantly. A quick glance around the foyer to ensure safety and then her eyes turned to the floor. She pulled the phone back to her ear just in case she missed something. At least Mary Margaret would know something had happened to her.

"Mary Margaret?" Emma confirmed, eyes glued to the dark red spot on the floor. She glanced around again.

"Cora has them. There's a small pool of blood, maybe the size of a plate and drag marks. She figured out our plan. She has them," Emma babbled, her voice raising hysterically with each word.

"Where would she take them?" Snow asked on the other end, pulling her daughter's focus away from thoughts of the worst case scenario.

"The farmhouse, the one where she attacked you before. You guys never went in, right?" Emma suggested quickly.

"It can't hurt to go look now. I'll wake David and be on the street by the time you drive by the apartment. Be careful, Emma," Snow added, and then the line went dead.

Emma closed her eyes and simply breathed for a moment. If she panicked, she'd be no good to Ruby and Regina. She breathed, in and out, in and out. Her eyes flew open as a calming and steady rage settled into her chest. She'd totally had enough of this chick. Her strides were wide and slow, sauntering down the walk, door slamming behind her, holster popping with each step.

She drove in a similar manner, and when Snow slid into the seat next to her bow and quiver in hand, her eyes widened at Emma's eerie and unnerving calm. She said nothing, however, save directions as they drove further into the oppressive night. The empowering serenity filled the cab of the cruiser, and soon Snow found herself breathing evenly, preparing for what they were about to do. The agreement was unspoken: take no prisoners, don't stop until Regina and Ruby were safe, or die trying.

Emma stopped the cruiser in the woods just before the long field in front of the house. The darkness surrounded them, pushing them together at the front of the cruiser. Without speaking, they moved forward simultaneously in a light jog. They hadn't bothered crouching until they reached the last 100 yards. Clouds covered the moon and stars. They were completely alone and shrouded in darkness. Emma's weak lung protested, but Eva had encourage short spurts of jogging during exercise walks for strength training. She was within the acceptable parameters, not that she'd even considered herself for a moment in all of this.

They pressed their shoulders into the side of the house beneath a lit window. When air flowed easily into their lungs, they moved again as one unit, peeking into the window quickly. An empty room greeted them, so they moved to the front door. The knob turned, and the door cracked. Of course, Cora wouldn't have locked her front. Arrogant and narcissistic, she assumed no one challenged her or even knew she'd managed to capture her daughter. Emma seethed. David begrudgingly gathered backup, unhappy with staying behind with Henry, but at this rate, they'd be finished before they ever arrived.

Snow nocked an arrow and nodded to her daughter. Emma pulled her gun and moved through the door, body turned to the side to make for a narrower target. Snow studied her tight shoulders and straightened spine. Her daughter exuded unadulterated confidence. It intoxicated her senses and killed any lingering hesitation. Emma unwaveringly believed in her cause, and she believed in her. She followed with a slight tension on the string of her bow but not enough to wreck her arm before she needed it.

They cleared the house quickly, moving silently and efficiently, the small living room to the kitchen to a sitting room and then to a hallway. Emma covered her as she opened the door and then stepped back, fingers falling to her bow string. It was a bedroom. It was empty, but someone had clearly slept in the bed recently. Emma crossed to the disheveled covers and touched the sheets.

"It's warm. Either someone had to pee or they know we're here," she deduced quietly and then moved back to the hallway without further comment, still with that same confidence as before.

The rest of the rooms were in similar states with the exception of a warm bed. At the end of the hall, the door opened to a set of stairs. Emma steeled her nerves, released a steadying breath, descended slowly. Snow held back, waiting until Emma reached the concrete floor at the bottom in case an attack came before her daughter found solid ground. Emma halted long enough for her to join her in the basement and then moved towards the only door left unchecked.

Again, she covered Snow as she opened the door. It was dark, and Emma squinted, seeing a faint light at the end of a long hallway. Regina was at the end of this hall, she had to be, she assured herself. She nodded at her mother and then moved forward, steps finally slowing. The tension in the air snapped tightly, and they both felt it, knew they neared their goal.

She forced deep, silent breaths in and out of her chest. Her hands trembled lightly with her growing adrenaline and pounding heart. She pushed forward, squeezing her gun tightly. It burned hotly beneath her sweaty palms. Snow pulled the bow string taut, resting her thumb against her jaw. They rounded the corner.

Regina sat in the middle of the room, tied to a chair. Her eyes were wide and she made indistinguishable words through the thick cloth gag in her mouth as she struggled against her restraints. Cora stood near the wall, using Ruby as a shield. The wolf's eyes glowed an angry yellow, and Emma sneered. Good. She needed a pissed off werewolf in her corner right now. She stepped towards Regina but still out of arm's reach.

"Hello Savior, I had wondered if you'd ever find your way here," Cora greeted as if they had arrived late to tea time. Her voice slithered up Emma's spine, and she gritted her teeth.

"Let her go, or I'm going to put a bullet between your eyes," Emma threatened.

Cora's answering laugh stopped abruptly when an arrow whizzed through the air. Ruby howled in pain and dropped to the floor, clutching the arrow sticking from her thigh. Cora grunted and slumped against the wall, like she too felt the pain. Emma squinted at the evil witch and stepped towards Regina again; Snow nocked another arrow and loosed it at Cora.

She deflected it easily and threw her hands out, catching both Snow and Emma about the throats with magic. They lifted from the ground, gasping for air. Emma lost her grip on her gun, and it clattered to the ground. Ruby growled and pushed herself to her feet miraculously, like she'd felt no pain at all, like there wasn't an arrow in her leg. She grabbed Cora's arms and shoved her hard against the wall. They dropped to the cold floor, coughing and wheezing.

They grappled, Ruby slamming the elder sorceress into the wall repeatedly with bone-crushing force. Emma took the opportunity to jerk at the cloth in Regina's mouth. Suddenly, Ruby froze, arms dropping to her sides in submission. Emma squinted at the odd behavior and fumbled with the gag. Snow shot another arrow at Cora, drawing her attention from Emma.

Cora again stopped it easily and flung her hands out in retaliation. They flew through the air, backs slamming into the concrete wall several feet from the ground. Regina's gag hung from Emma's fingers. Rather than falling, though, Cora held them in place. One slim finger sliced the air, and a gash appeared across Emma's chest and stomach. It was deep, and blood gushed onto her pants and the floor.

"Ruby!" Regina screamed, panic rising. If Ruby failed to break free at least once more, they were doomed to watch Emma and Snow die.

Ruby shook her head, a guttural war cry ripping from her throat. She grabbed Cora's shoulders and flung her into the wall, fists flying into the older woman hesitantly. Even now, she fought her mother's control.

"Emma, shoot Ruby!" Regina commanded. Emma held one hand to her stomach and clamored for her fallen gun. She pointed it at the wolf's back and faltered.

"Shoot me!" Ruby growled. "Do it! Do it now, Emma!" Ruby's arms froze, but her body quaked and trembled with rage. Emma took careful aim, hesitated.

An arrow whizzed by her ear and pierced Ruby's side. She survived only if they got her help quickly, Emma realized. Snow retrieved another arrow and released it into the wolf in the shoulder this time. It wasn't fatal but probably shattered her collarbone. Ruby grunted and fell to the knee of her uninjured leg, struggling to stay upright. Regina cried out and turned her head, tears already spilling onto her cheeks. Cora pressed a hand to her stomach. It came away bloody.

"Emma, untie me!" Regina pulled against her ropes. Emma looked up at her in shock, not quite understanding.

Snow moved first, using the razor sharp head of an arrow to cut the ropes. Emma snagged one from her quiver and worked on her hands.

"Emma, her heart! Get Ruby's heart! Go now. It's on a pouch on Cora's belt. Get it now before she crushes it!" Regina ordered, an almost hysterical fear in her voice.

Emma scrambled to the two fallen women. She stepped over Ruby and cut the string of the cloth bag with the arrow and then moved away quickly. The arrow clattered to the concrete as she jerked the bag open. Ruby's heart pulsed dimly, and it freaked her out, like Regina's had.

"Hold on, Ruby!" Regina called and then brushed past Emma, shackles still around her wrists.

She and Snow dragged Ruby out of Cora's reach and then dropped to their knees. Cora gasped and searched for the strength to stand. Red liquid seeped from beneath her body and joined with Ruby's on the cold concrete. Emma moved forward and stomped her boot into the elder witch's face. She fell to the floor, and Ruby cried out.

"Emma, no! They're linked, their lifelines. Don't hurt her, not yet," Regina ordered, and Emma knelt beside her lover and rubbed a soothing hand over her back.

Regina's hand sunk into Ruby's chest. "Hold on, Ruby. We've got you. We're here," Regina soothed the wolf's groans of pain.

Snow held Ruby as still as possible as Regina pulled back bodily and revealed a blackened heart from years of rage and evil deeds. Regina gasped as one solitary tendril of pink pulled to the surface at her touch. Tears spilled onto her cheeks as she cradled the dark heart in her hands and moved slowly to her mother.

"Mary Margaret, go get the car," Emma whispered as she switched places with her lover and knelt beside Ruby. Snow nodded, realizing the dismissal for what it was despite the need to get Ruby to help.

"Mommy?" Regina whined and touched Cora's face, holding the heart against her chest.

Regina finally felt her mother's love for her, the last sliver of goodness remaining in her heart. No one but Emma and the two witches knew what one felt while touching the heart of another, that it brings their true emotions to the surface. Cora loved Regina, and now Regina knew it, no matter what the witch said.

"Mother, we'll get you help. I won't let you die," Regina whispered, a girlish whine in her voice. Tears dripped shamelessly down her face. "I love you, too, Mommy," she choked out before the emotion stole her voice completely.

Emma held Ruby tightly with one arm and clutched the pouch to her chest with the other hand. She pressed her forehead into Ruby's shoulder, giving her what comfort she could. The girl's breathing grew shallower by the second, and Emma knew they needed to move soon.

"Regina," Cora gasped, and Regina pressed her face closer to her mother's. "Love is weakness," she reminded her daughter.

Her hand shot out with the last of her strength and covered Regina's hand and her heart. She squeezed tightly, even as the pain tore through her body. Regina jerked back, but it was too late. Cora's hand fell away, and dust slipped through her trembling fingers. Ruby cried out and then went still. Regina's mouth hung open in disbelief. Emma jostled Ruby slightly, fear gripping her own heart. Their lifelines hadn't been disconnected.

"No, Mother," Regina pulled Cora into her arms and held her close, smoothing her hair and adjusting her clothes. "Mother!" She gave in to the tears and her head fell forward under the emotions.

"Regina," Emma called to her. "Regina, we need to get Ruby to the hospital." Regina cried as though she hadn't heard her.

"Regina! Now! Ruby is dying! Do you want to lose someone else you love tonight?" Emma hated herself for being so harsh, but Ruby faded quickly. It worked. Regina raised her eyes to Emma's, and Emma would have given anything to hold her in that moment.

"Baby, we have to go. I'm so sorry," Emma's tears cracked her voice. "Poof her to the hospital, put her heart back in, do something. Please Baby. Help me save Ruby."

"Taking her heart out didn't sever the lifeline," Regina said suddenly as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I have no magic," she said. Her voice was hollow, deadened with her broken heart.

"Then help me get her to the car. We'll come back for her. I promise," Emma encouraged Regina to move, and puffed a relieved sigh when it actually worked.

She laid her mother down gently and stood on shaking legs. The urgency returned to her motions when she noticed Ruby's pale face and shallow breaths. If she returned Ruby's heart now, she'd die. The only string standing between Ruby and death was the fact that her heart had not been in Cora's chest when she'd died and was not in hers now. They were still linked, and she'd not have lasted much longer without intervention.

By the time they reached the top of the steps, both women puffed under the dead weight of the wolf. Emma's shirt and jeans were wet with her own blood, and she pushed through the pain. Snow White entered the hallway and sprinted towards them. She halted their progress for a moment and snapped the arrow heads off before taking Ruby's heart and leading the way to the running cruiser.

Regina handed Ruby to Snow who had considerably more strength in her uninjured state, and they pulled and pushed Ruby into the back seat. Regina slid behind the wheel, knowing Emma would never have allowed her to drive under normal circumstances.

Emma quietly relayed the situation with Ruby's heart to her mother as Regina took off through the field, tuning out what she already knew.

"All this time Ruby was controlled by Cora?" Snow sorted through her thoughts aloud.

"Regina doesn't know how to break the connection and has no magic until we get those shackles off. Wait, how did you get her heart out of Ruby with no magic?" Emma studied Regina's profile.

"I channeled yours like I did when using Jefferson's hat," Regina explained quietly. Snow gasped but held her tongue on the subject.

"I have an idea," Snow said and patted her pockets, producing a cell phone after a few seconds.

Emma leaned forward and pressed her forehead to Regina's shoulder, a hand on her stomach and one holding Ruby in place. Regina tensed beneath the contact but didn't move away as Snow talked quietly on the phone. She ended the call and tossed the phone on the front seat.

"David is getting a medical team ready. They'll meet us at the front of the hospital," Snow said, holding back the rest of her idea lest it failed to take flight.

The remainder of the tense and fast drive passed in silence. As promised, a team swarmed them the second they arrived and pulled Ruby from the car and onto a gurney. Snow searched the swarm for the face she most wanted to see and nearly cried out in relief when she found it.

"Lacey!" She waved her over as they followed Ruby and the medical team into the sliding doors. Regina and Emma looked at each other in confusion.

Snow stopped everyone when Lacey reached them. She was bleary-eyed and unbalanced, clearly having woken up only a few minutes ago. Gold seethed from across the room. The scrub-clad people glared at her, and she ignored them. She grabbed Lacey's shoulders and held her gaze.

"Lacey, you are Belle French. You've been told this before, I know. And I know you don't remember, but you and Ruby were in love. You are her true love, Lacey, and I need to ask you to do something unthinkable. I need you to save her life," Snow spoke at the wild child in her hands, looking for understanding in her big blue eyes.

"I'm not a doctor," Lacey started defensively, but Emma caught onto Snow's plan quickly.

She pulled Ruby's heart from the pouch and stepped forward, focusing her thoughts and energy on her hand and the heart. Lacey gasped and Gold jerked when Emma's hand disappeared into her chest. She probably should have gotten consent, but there wasn't time. Ruby died in front of them, and she refused to risk Lacey's refusal and watch Regina crushed further by more loss. If anyone's heart held the strength to break the bond with Cora, surely it was the heart of Ruby's true love.

Emma released the heart but kept her hand inside, uncertain if she'd be able to reenter the woman. Blue eyes widened a moment before Lacey wavered. Snow wrapped her arms around the slight woman and held her upright. Tears streamed down Lacey's face, and sobs tore from her chest in heaves that sounded almost like laughter.

"Ruby," she whispered and pushed Snow away. "Ruby's alive," she laughed and cried, and everyone looked around confused as hell.

"Belle?" It was Ruby's gravelly voice. It had worked, and Ruby now felt Belle's essence inside of her. Emma had linked their lifelines, effectively destroying her bond with Cora and restoring Belle's memories at the same time. While Ruby still needed surgery almost immediately, her wolf strength returned as her heart pulsed safely inside the chest of her true love.

"I'm sorry, Belle. I have to take it out now," Emma said gently, thankful that Mary Margaret prevented the other woman from bolting to Ruby's side. She nodded.

Emma took the heart out. It throbbed and swirled with new life, glowed brightly with love. They moved together to Ruby's gurney, and the medical staff stepped back, recognizing that the situation was far larger than them. Ruby's eyes flew open as the right heart finally beat within her chest again.

It was a short-lived moment because Belle suddenly appeared above her head. She pressed their lips together over and over again, feeling Ruby's strength move within her own chest. Emma returned to Regina's side and wrapped her in strong arms, wanting to watch the reunion in the embrace of her very own true love.

Belle and Ruby kissed and whispered and touched, oblivious to the world around them. Belle reluctantly allowed the medical team access when impatient hands pulled her back. Her eyes widened when she finally noticed the arrows impaling her lover.

"I'll be right here when you wake up, Ruby Lucas," she promised and stole one more kiss before standing back willingly.

She watched the team until they disappeared and then turned to Regina and Emma. The Savior squeaked and sorceress groaned in pain when Belle flung herself into their arms. Regina's shackled and aching wrists were trapped between them, so Emma wrapped an arm around the emotional librarian. She searched the room over her shoulder, but Gold had already disappeared. She'd never have forgiven him anyway, so it was probably for the best.

"Miss French, get the hell off me before I pass out," Regina bitched, out of patience for the entire situation. She ached inside and out, and she knew that she needed a shower.

Belle stepped back, only now realizing that Emma and Regina, too, were badly injured. She clasped her hands in front of her, embarrassed. Snow stepped forward and placed a hand on Emma's shoulder.

"David , Leroy and I will bring Cora's body to the morgue," she said quietly, and Regina's eyes jerked up in surprise. "Henry is with Granny. We'll make sure they both make it here safely."

"Thank you, Mar… Mom," Emma replied for her lover who looked like a fish out of water. Snow softened further at the term but said nothing as she disappeared out the door with her husband and head dwarf in tow.

Regina faltered, and Emma caught her before she fell over. Exhaustion, physical and emotional, settled over her, and she leaned heavily into her partner. Emma waved over a couple of nurses lingering. They'd obviously noticed the blood, fresh and dried, on the other two women and waited patiently until the larger crises ended before closing in on them.

"I'm here," Emma whispered into her hair, knowing that nothing else she said would have mattered.


	32. Happy Ending?

Soooo, I totally lied to you. I kept reading the last chapter and the epilogue over and over, and it simply didn't feel resolved to me. Regina had given so much for everyone else, and though she'd made friends and had support, she never really went as deeply as everyone else. She was always the strong one for everyone else for the most part. I slept on it, ate a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich as a bracer, and then let my fingers go. This is the result.

Enjoy Lovelies!

Songs: Snuff by Slipknot, You Can't Hide Beautiful by Aaron Lines, She Thinks She Needs Me by Andy Griggs, Let it Go as performed by Demi Lovato

* * *

Regina breathed very deeply. Nurses and aids and doctors filtered in and out of the triage room where she and Emma had been assigned, side by side. Either word failed to spread about her showdown with Emma and Ruby or word had spread of her sacrifice. They X-rayed her wrists, scanned her brain for internal bleeding, patched up her wounds. They talked at her, but she heard nothing but the whoosh of air moving in and out of her. Emma answered when she couldn't or wouldn't. She wasn't certain which term appropriately fit her state of mind.

After the doctor finished stitching Emma's stomach, the sheriff leaned over her face and said something. She heard Henry's name and tried to care, but her grief consumed senses. Emma disappeared for a while, and when she returned, she made Regina stand up, walk, move, live. It seemed as though magic were involved because even though she remembered exiting the hospital doors, walking up the stairs to her bedroom, she suddenly stood in front of her bath tub. Water splashed and swirled and gurgled, and she cocked her head to the side at the harsh sound overcoming the gentle puffs of breath.

Hands pulled at her shirt, and she let them. Her pants and under things fells away under cold fingers, heels clonking as they were tossed onto porcelain tile. Emma appeared in front of her, deep lines etched into her face, and then she moved again. The hot water bit at her skin, and she gasped, waking up from her haze. She almost lowered her hands into the water, but Emma stopped her.

"Your wrists can't get wet, Baby," she said gently. Regina smelled lavender.

"I'm going to wash you," she continued when Regina said nothing.

The soapy cloth moved over her skin, bringing with it dirt and blood. The water swirled with flecks of brown, and she watched it, fascinated. Everything around her reflected her soul, dirty and bloody and black and white, half-clean and half-soiled. Her head tipped back at the urging of insistent fingers under her chin, and the cleansing moved to her hair save the one patch atop her wound. Half-dirty, mostly clean. Tears slipped down her cheeks as the new though filled her. Mostly clean, mostly good but still soiled.

Emma watched the varying emotions but remained silent. Quiet Regina had always freaked her out but never had she witness a complete shut down. Regina dripped strength and independence. As much as Emma wanted to be needed, she realized that Regina had never actually needed her before tonight. It terrified her. Regina must have thought and felt similarly when she was in the hospital, blatantly refusing to speak because everything hurt so very much. It still hurt, an ever-present ache deep within her soul that sucked in all of the light and happiness and swallowed it. A black hole of the soul. Regina had one, too.

"Regina," she caught the other woman's attention and waited for a response. Regina lowered her head and watched the brown flakes in the water. "I'm finished. Can you stand?"

Emma pushed herself off the cool floor and held Regina's arm as she complied with the request. The blonde breathed deeply in relief, unsure if she'd have been able to pick Regina up and move her without pulling her stitches. They remained pleasantly numb from the local anesthetic they had used to heal her, but the lack of pain was temporary. She needed to get Regina into bed before it returned and rendered her useless. She squeezed the dark hair into the towel and then patted down her body.

Regina stepped towards the bedroom before she finished, trailing watery footprints onto the carpet. Emma followed a few steps behind, dropping the towel onto the floor with Regina's destroyed clothes. Regina stopped and looked around her room, eyes narrowed in confusion. Her breathing increased rapidly, and Emma touched the middle of her back with gentle fingertips, pulling her back from the fissure dividing grief and reality. Their eyes met, both filling with tears. They understood each other with only that brief moment of connection.

Emma hadn't been weak when she refused to speak when she'd first awoken. She'd held her grief inside, held it captive. If it had escaped, she may never have returned. She waited until strength and resilience returned before opening herself to the possibility of rejection from those she loved most. It was the risk they took when they loved. Rejection. Abandonment. They more than others feared that sting because they'd given so much of their souls to others in the quest for love and acceptance denied them until they'd found each other. As much as Regina wished to remain silent, hold her grief inside until she felt strong enough to handle the world, she spoke.

"I'm here, Emma," she whispered, voice deep and raspy. Emma blinked rapidly in response.

Regina slipped into the bed, leaving Emma to undress and digest her statement. It said a lot. They weren't alone. They were loved unconditionally. The words confessed Regina's intention to fall apart in her arms tonight while surrounding Emma with her warmth and love, just as Emma had when she asked Regina to tell her the story of Rumpel's abuse. They were waves breaking against stoic stalwart stones. If one flew apart, the other accepted the blow with grace. They collected the droplets of water patiently and slid them back into the sea one at a time until the ocean became whole once more.

Emma slid her naked body between the cool sheets and rolled on her side, facing Regina but not quite touching her. Regina turned and faced away, stabbing Emma's heart with the rejection. Emma closed her eyes and swallowed the pain. The bed shifted, and Regina's shoulders pressed into her chest. Emma was too relieved to move, but Regina reached behind her and snagged Emma's hand, pulling it around her.

The blonde finally responded and pressed her hand flat against the skin beneath it. She battled with the pillow until it supported her neck adequately and slid her other arm beneath Regina's. It would be numbed and tingling by morning, but Emma did it anyway. Regina sighed into the touched and nestled further into Emma's chest. Almost immediately, eye lids dropped over bright green. She was safe and comfortable and held the most amazing woman in her arms.

"Emma, are you asleep?" Regina asked and squeezed her forearm lightly. Emma hummed.

"Getting there," Emma answered and adjusted her head when a strand of black hair tickled her nose.

"Am I hurting you?" Regina asked, and Emma grunted and squeezed her tighter. They fell into silence again.

"Emma?" Green eyes cracked but said nothing. "Do you know how Ruby keeps changing my ring tone?"

Emma snorted one high pitch laugh. "Henry," Emma answered, putting the other woman out of her torture. Regina gasped lightly, telling Emma that she'd not even considered her son to be the accomplice.

She chuckled, and Emma had a feeling that the two culprits would continue to play the joke without reprimand. If Henry felt comfortable enough to prank his mother, Regina wanted to keep the path open as they returned to their previous relationship before The Evil Queen got in the way. Regina brushed her fingers over the back of Emma's hand and forearm absently, lulling Emma into a near-sleeping state once more.

"Emma?" Her name came a few minutes later, and she huffed in frustration. Is this what Regina had felt at the hospital when she'd continuously pulled her back from sleep?

"Yes?" Emma answered grumpily.

"I love you," Regina whispered, the sleep she'd obviously been fighting finally sinking its claws into its prize steadily. Emma smiled.

"Sleep, Regina. I won't let go," Emma vowed in a reverent whisper and nuzzled her nose into Regina's damp hair.

Emma noticed two things when she woke. The first, most of her body ached like she'd been trampled by a herd of cattle. The second, her hand unconsciously clenched and released, kneading a mound of soft and warm flesh with a hardened peek in the center. Hardened peek, nipple, breast. Regina's breast, her mind quickly connected. She jerked to attention painfully, eyes wide, hand freezing.

Regina's back vibrated against her chest in silent laughter. Emma's cheeks burned in embarrassment and she pulled away. Regina's hand slapped against hers, holding it to her breast, and Emma's blush spread to her ears.

"Please tell me I only started doing that when I woke up," Emma mumbled, almost to herself.

"Darling, you've been quite persistent for nearly an hour. I had already decided to let you go if you ventured south once more," Regina teased her, an amused smile on her lips.

"Shit. Sorry, didn't mean to molest you in my sleep," Emma mumbled and hid her burning face into Regina's hair.

Regina rolled in her arms and pressed their lips together commandingly. Teeth and tongue work Emma's lower lip, pulling a moan from her throat. She was quickly learning that a little rough play wasn't necessarily a bad thing. A hand slid up her thigh and pushed her onto her back when it reached her hip.

Emma's sore body protested when Regina mounted her thighs, but the relentless lips on hers held it inside. Teeth clamped her lower lip and scraped the sensitive flesh as her lover pulled back, eliciting a harsh gasp and a bubble of pressure between her legs. Regina moved to her jaw and then her neck. Teeth clamped down when she felt Emma's erratic pulse throbbing against her tongue. Hips bucked upward forcefully, and Emma cried out in pain.

"Regina, stop," Emma pushed at her shoulders. "Stop. Please, stop."

Regina straightened her spine immediately and studied her lover's pinched face. Watery green eyes met hers for the briefest of moments before turning downward. Emma craned her neck and pressed fingers to her stitched stomach. Regina slapped them away and peeled back the gauze from another wound that promised another scar for Emma's efforts to save her life.

"Typical, Miss Swan, starting something you cannot finish," Regina berated playfully, covering her guilt with humor, as she inspected the gash.

"The stitches are holding perfectly," she informed Emma a moment later, wadded the used gauze, and surprised both of them when she tossed it carelessly onto the carpet.

"I can," Emma started and trailed her fingertips down Regina's stomach. "If you want, I can for you…" Emma fumbled for the right words, fingers resting on the stubble between Regina's legs.

Regina hooked her thumb around Emma's and kissed the back of her hand. "I want you, but I don't want that," she answered, lips moving against Emma's hand.

She hadn't wanted to simply get off. She wanted to make love, and without reciprocity, the physical release would have left her aching and wanting for that deeper connection. She'd told herself that Emma Swan intended to ruin her for life the moment she discovered her intention to remain in Storybrooke, and she had succeeded in a very surprising way. She sighed and rolled from Emma, bouncing to the edge of the bed.

"Don't watch me," she ordered as she stood and crossed to her closet.

Emma rolled to side, propped her head on her hand, and blatantly defied the request. Regina slipped into her silk panties and snapped her bra into place, unaware of Emma's eyes drinking in her every movement. Emma's thoughts, however, were as far from Regina's insecurities as they could possibly be. She was in love with Regina Mills, heart and soul, and her body certainly responded to Regina. Her humble earthy scent, instead of expensive perfumes like one might have assumed at first glance, was intoxicating. The sight of her naked, sitting atop her thighs in passion or freshly showered or slipping into a grey pencil skirt, aroused her in a way no other woman had achieved.

She'd never been disgusted by the thought of being with a woman and had certainly kissed plenty during late night games of spin the bottle in the state homes when they were supposed to be asleep and during her party days after she'd been released from prison. They never really meant anything more than a fun time, though, and she'd not considered sleeping with any of them. The more heated make out sessions had never turned her on and she'd been drunk for all of them. She was most definitely a heterosexual woman who seemed to have fallen in love with a soul encased within another woman.

Gender may have deterred her before, but it seemed silly now. It obviously wasn't an issue emotionally or sexually, and Regina challenged and surprised her enough to keep things interesting. Emma smiled at that. No matter how good or tender Regina Mills became, one wrong step led to a snappy comment and a new challenge to figure out which button she pushed.

"Have I amused you, Miss Swan?" Regina snapped, proving Emma's silent point.

Emma's eyes refocused to find Regina stretching an unbuttoned royal blue shirt over her stomach self-consciously. Emma's eyes widened at the double-sided question. Regina had in fact amused her with her comment, but watching Regina dress had not amused her. How to answer, honestly or in self-preservation?

"I was thinking about something else, Baby," Emma commented easily without actually answering her question. Points for Emma.

She scooted to the edge of the bed and sat up, beckoning Regina to her. The witch narrowed her eyes and begrudgingly moved towards her lover. Emma spread her knees and pulled her by the hips for the last few steps. With a little effort, she unclenched the hands from the shirt and left them to hang at her sides. Regina stared down at her, confused and a little uncomfortable with the intimacy but compliant.

She tentatively trusted that Emma wouldn't shatter her, even if the thought sounded absurd to her logical brain. She was only a woman. One that had been abused and tortured emotionally for most of her life, and that conditioning could never be undone no matter how many times Emma told her that she was beautiful and worthy of honest love and affection.

Emma pressed a kiss between her breasts and slid her fingertips over the bare skin of her sides. Her hands wrapped around her back when they reached the bottom of her bra, thumbs tickling the skin at her ribs. Green eyes rolled upwards when her lips adamantly refused to leave Regina's chest and met light brown. Emma smiled against her skin and propped her chin on the space her lips had occupied.

"I was thinking about how much I love you and how happy you make me. I have a lot of things that I need to deal with," Emma sobered suddenly, not having expected the words to come out of her mouth.

"We both do," Regina saved Emma from her awkwardness with a nervous grin. Was Emma breaking up with her?

"We do. So I was thinking that maybe… it might be a good idea to…"

"Take some time apart?" Regina finished sadly, clearly not wanting to go through with her suggestion. Emma jerked back.

"What? No. That is on the other side of the lake from what I was going to say," Emma babbled incredulously. Regina truly failed to see how much Emma needed her - at her side, in her bed, beneath her hands and lips every single day, hugging their son, making dinner.

"What is it then, Miss Swan?" Regina clipped, sassing in her vulnerability.

"I want to leave Storybrooke. With you and Henry," she added firmly. "I'd like to go back to Boston and go to college. I actually miss the city, and there was a professor there I really liked." Emma halted her tangent and glanced up at Regina's watery eyes.

"Shit, Baby, we don't have to go if you'd rather stay. I was only thinking it would be good for both of us to g…"

Regina silenced her lover when she grabbed her face with both hands and slammed their lips together. It lingered, progressed, slowed, heated again and then end with wide eyes connected. Emma held all commentary, waiting for Regina's opinion to be spoken because the kiss could have been for either option.

"I agree some time away from Storybrooke would be beneficial for us as well as our son," Regina answered as she straightened, clearly embarrassed by her outburst of emotion.

"So, that's a yes, then?" Emma clarified for her own sake.

"Yes," Regina answered immediately and kissed Emma again, gently this time. "Now, please clothe yourself. I'd like to visit Ruby."

They paused long enough to make pancakes, scrambled eggs and toast for Belle, Henry and Granny, which Regina had nearly finished by the time Emma stumbled into the kitchen and gulped the sweet coffee waiting for her. She sort of took a shower. Actually, she washed her hair while bent over the tub with the shower head and then rubbed a wet wash cloth over her body except for her stitched area. She felt better at any rate.

Regina had grown quiet and fidgety during the drive, and Emma only guessed it was due to seeing Ruby again. She'd been tortured physically and mentally nonstop for two weeks simply for sharing a deep friendship with Regina. Emma took the cloth bag full of breakfast from the back seat of the Mercedes and wordlessly took Regina's hand when they met in front of the car. Regina smiled gratefully and laced her fingers with Emma's longer ones. The savior truly spoke so much better when she held her tongue.

The closer they came to Ruby's room, the tighter the grip on Emma's hand became. She almost asked Regina twice to loosen her painful hold. Regina inhaled sharply when they reached Ruby's room and stopped. The door was cracked, and the faint murmurs of Henry and Belle's story-telling duet could be heard. He had flat out refused to leave Belle's side last night when Emma came to collect him from the waiting room, and Belle's silently pleaded with her big blue eyes to allow it. So she had.

When it became obvious that Regina had frozen and wouldn't be moving anytime soon, Emma toed the door. Four sets of eyes shifted to the newcomers, and Regina clenched her hand again. Ruby inhaled sharply, and Belle slid from the bed where she and Henry had been sitting and dragged the boy with her. She stood at Ruby's head on the opposite side of the room from the door with her hands on Henry's shoulders. Granny sat in the chair on the other side of Ruby's head and stared up at her with a neutral expression. Everyone knew that her reaction would reflect what Ruby needed.

Emma released Regina's hand when the other woman stepped forward, her tapping heels the only sound. Ruby seemed to be fine. Her red cloak hung around her shoulders, tempering the wolf's anger and urge to run that became nearly uncontrollable this close to the full moon. Her right arm rested in a sling, the only indication that she'd been injured at all, but everyone knew gauze and stitches hid beneath the flimsy hospital gown. She'd nearly died, probably save by the fact that her DNA and body was made more resilient by the wolf. Her eyes drooped heavily under the influence of morphine. Regina tried to speak, failed, closed her mouth.

"Regina," Ruby whined, tears dripping onto her cheeks. Everyone held their breaths. Ruby had neither invited nor rejected her, and they waited for the backlash and hoped for a happy reunion.

"Re…" Ruby choked up and held out the uninjured arm to her friend when she realized she'd not recovered in a timely manner.

Everyone breathed, and Regina tapped across the linoleum quickly. She slowed, however, and sat gingerly. She wiped Ruby's wet face, and everyone teared up when Ruby repeated the motion on Regina's. The two women laughed nervously and simply looked at each other.

"You got me back," Ruby squeaked, and more tears spilled onto her cheeks. She swallowed in attempt to loosen her vocals cords.

"How many time do I have to say it, you silly mutt. I'll always come for you," Regina smiled and gave into her urge to hug her friend.

It was awkward at first as she avoided Ruby's injuries, but they figured it out. Ruby hooked her chin over Regina's shoulder, face turned towards her neck, leaned forward and wrapped her arm around Regina's waist. Regina followed her lead and repeated the exact same movements.

"I'm so sorry that you couldn't save her, too, Regina," Ruby whispered into her friend's neck and squeezed her tighter.

"She was inside of me for a long time," Ruby pulled back and held Regina's neck, eyes serious and sad. "She loved you. No matter what else she did, she loved you. And I am so sorry that you lost her," she finished, tears spilling again. She pulled Regina into her once more, and they cried together.

Emma moved forward silently and began unpacking breakfast. Belle, Henry and Granny followed her to the table, granting a moment for the two women to take comfort with someone who understood what they were going through. No matter how much Emma and Belle wanted to understand and be the one their significant others ran to for comfort, they fathomed very little of their struggle.

Ruby and Regina not only appreciated the darkness within the other but also had been together since the start of this entire mess from Snow and Charming going through the portal to Cora's death last night. They held the town together after Emma had been shot. They saved Emma and Belle and Snow and Charming and then the town again. Ruby saved Regina from herself when Daniel died, and Regina saved Ruby from Hook's ship. They'd gone through this together, and the others couldn't empathize with their torrent of emotions at the simple joy of seeing the other alive and breathing.

"I love you," one of them whispered and the other repeated it. Emma and Belle served breakfast.

Every single person in the room had much coping in their near futures. The last two months had cut into them deeply, leaving wounds that will never heal and scars they'll never forget. As much as they'd lost, however, they gained. No one looked to the future with apprehension and the pinch of loneliness anymore. It wasn't quite a happy ending, but for the four damaged women happily wiping tears, it was the closest they'd ever come.

They'd created a family, a dysfunctional and complicated family albeit, but it was theirs and it was perfect. They wouldn't have it any other way, so they smiled and ate pancakes and wrapped themselves in the love until the next crisis struck.

If and when it came, they'd face it together.


	33. Epilogue

So, I must have had a dose of stupid with that ice cream sandwich and forgot to load the epilogue and set this story to a complete status. This has been rectified, *Snape voice* obviously. Enjoy Lovelies!

_**3 Months Later**_

Song: For the Nights I Can't Remember by Hedley

* * *

"David, I swear if you drop that, I will magically remove all of your hair," Regina sniped and punched her hands to her hips.

He swallowed and readjusted his grip while Ruby smirked from the other side of the gigantic box. Emma rolled her eyes and jogged to her father, taking part of the weight and appeasing her partner in the process. She and Emma had finally decided on a house in Old Salem instead of Boston. Regina gave the owners a cash offer, and they officially owned property outside of Storybrooke. Emma protested using Regina's money, feeling guilty that she hadn't contributed anything, right up to the point Regina confided that her bank account reflected her coffers from The Enchanted Forest.

Today, they left for Massachusetts just as soon as the last few items were loaded.

"What's in here anyway, Regina?" David puffed, out of breath from carrying the heavy box down the stairs of the mansion.

"Our sex swing," Regina answered seriously, eyes leveled at her partner's father.

Emma sighed. Ruby's grip on the box slipped and she barely controlled its descent to the floor. She folded her arms on top and hid her face in them, muffling her obnoxious laughter. Snow tripped up the stairs of the foyer, catching herself clumsily, eyes wide and staring at Emma. David glanced between Regina and the box, mouth moving like a fish out of water, unsure if the woman told the truth or messed with him.

Over the past three months, they'd developed a tenuous relationship which probably would have been much more advanced if Regina managed to be civilized to the man more than thirty seconds into a conversation. At least they weren't trying to kill each other anymore.

"Uhh, Mom, what's wrong with Grandpa?" Henry asked at the top of the stairs. Captain and Belle flanked him, and Regina smirked. Her little Charmer.

"David has revealed his darkest fantasy of become a merperson, Henry. We'll visit him on our trips to the beach," Regina informed her son cordially. "Captain, please assist Miss Lucas with this box," she asked.

The former warrior shoved Henry's box of books into David's stomach and glared at a still giggling Ruby. Regina admired the woman's impressively muscular stature in her new deputy uniform and beamed with pride. She may have been a soldier in The Evil Queen's army, but she was definitely the best choice to replace Emma in the police department. When Stacy called to inform Regina that she'd applied for the position, the former mayor immediately gave her endorsement.

The group trouped out behind Ruby and Captain, but Regina lingered. The house she'd lived in for 28 years wasn't quite barren. She'd left her sofas and many decorations. She'd demanded everything from her study be brought, her bed, and her wardrobe. Emma picked everything else that she'd wanted. Regina wanted their new home to feel like theirs, not Regina's house that Emma happened to live in. Emma managed to slim everything down to fit within one truck, not used to having more things than would fit in the back seat of her bug. They agreed to buy everything else as they found need for it.

They'd immediately bought a dining room set and sofas. Every time Emma found something she truly loved, she glanced at Regina hesitantly for approval. Regina always smiled and nodded, unless she absolutely could not find something to like about the item. She needed Emma to believe this home was hers, too, something she'd never had before now. It helped that they'd spent the rest of the weekend sexually christening each new item and room of the house. Regina now knew how the other woman felt when she asked Emma not to watch her dress.

"Hey," came the soft voice of the rest of her life. Hands slid over her stomach a moment before a warm body pressed into her back.

"Hey," she answered and leaned back into Emma. She wore tennis shoes today since they'd be hefting boxes most of the morning and driving until early evening. Without her heels, Emma stood a good 3-4 inches above her, and secretly, she loved it. It made her feel more feminine somehow, more beautiful in Emma's arms.

"Truck's ready," Emma informed her.

"I'm ready," she breathed, turning in Emma's arms. She wrapped her arms around the taller woman's neck and pressed her mouth up to Emma's.

"Hey, get a room, these are all taken!" Ruby shouted at them and leapt up the foyer stairs. Belle followed, a bit more somber.

"Indeed, they are," Regina agreed and released Emma. She pulled her set of keys out of her pocket and handed them to Ruby. "Miss French, do get Captain to instruct you in the handling of a vehicle. Miss Lucas is a menace to society behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle," Regina barbed the young wolf lightly. Everyone chuckled as they filed back into the foyer.

"You'll keep Henry's room as he left it?" Regina ensured, and the two women nodded.

"You'll come back and visit every month like you promised?" Ruby asked, crossing her arms over her chest and scuffing her toe into the hardwood floor.

Ruby had struggled a great deal since her time in captivity. She'd not allow Regina further than the distance from her room to the guest room most nights, some days, too. Belle finally convinced her a month ago to stay in the library apartment with her. The first week saw a nightly anxiety attack and Regina rolling out of bed in the wee hours of morning to go calm the woman. So, she felt their departure more than anyone else.

"I will always come for you," Regina reminded her of their promise to each other and pulled the wolf into a hug.

Everyone else, except Captain, filed around the two women and hugged Emma goodbye. Belle set her hand on Ruby's shoulder, silently telling her that it was time to let go. Ruby stepped back but kept her hands on Regina's shoulders. Her eyes caught Emma's over Regina's head. They nodded to each other in unspoken understanding. She'd protect Regina and Henry, and Ruby would protect her parents. Ruby stepped back and wrapped herself around Belle, probably to keep her hands from reaching for Regina again.

Emma sat behind the wheel quietly for a long moment. Henry sat by the other door and Regina in the middle. Emma stared at the steering wheel. A warm hand touched her thigh, and her eyes pulled to Regina's caramel.

"What is it, Darling?" She asked quietly, barely audible.

"Accepting you," Emma answered, slightly freaked out. "Accepting this, accepting me. I can't change who you are, who you were born to be. I've never given myself to someone I love before, and I want to knowing in my heart exactly who she is," Emma repeated verbatim the words Regina spoke the first time they'd made love, and Regina blinked rapidly at the sudden emotion that swelled in her chest.

Emma smiled and started the truck. Neither of them would ever be alone for another birthday.


End file.
